5:3 and 5:4 Dark Places: Dempsey and Makepeace
by haveunotthought
Summary: Regrets happen when we don't share our dreams and time steals our opportunities; they also happen we're driven by the heat of the moment. Dempsey and Makepeace fall prey to regrets far too often, this story is no different. With special Thanks to Lou
1. Chapter 1

"Come in Mina" Harry smiled broadly as she accepted the bottle of wine offered to her

"My pleasure!" Yasmina returned the smile "I must say that I wasn't expecting to find you home alone when I rang"

"I can breathe without Dempsey being present you know" Harry protested

Yasmina noticed the subtle defence "'T' I hope you can't go the whole night without spilling a few beans" she challenged as she glanced around looking to see how much of Dempsey she could spot.

"Mina!" Harry exclaimed "I'm not telling you anything – it will be round the network before I have breakfast"

"Harry you're so…." She paused

"Boring" Harry suggested

"Private" Yasmina smiled and then sniffed very gently "You're cooking that Salmon and Fennel – I love that" Yasmina moved forward into the kitchen, come on I'll talk whilst you cook I've got a million and one things to update you on"

Harry grinned, at least tonight would be fun.

The two girls were on the cocktails and laughing at Yasmina's tales about the DeKindersley family.

"I'm so glad I didn't waste any more than two weeks of my life with that mistake"

"So what is James up to tonight?"

"I don't know"

"Come on – is it boys night at the pub, football, work? What's your guy doing?"

"I really don't know"

"You must have a clue – he's not washing his hair is he"

"Seriously I haven't the faintest idea"

"Seriously" Mina challenged

"Unfortunately" Harry acknowledged

"Well" Yasmina backtracked "like you said it's not healthy to live in each other's pockets"

But actually Harry was drunk enough for her crest fallen face to crumple

"Oh 'T'" Yasmina wrapped an arm around her shoulder "I just thought that things were going so well"

"Were is the operative word"

"Do you want to talk?"

"I don't know what to say"

"Well you obviously haven't completely split I presume those are his videos unless you are into American Cop Movies" Yasmina picked up the pile – the top two were commercial underneath she looked at the ones scrawled with Taxi season 4 1 – 6 and Taxi season 5 7 - 12

"We haven't split – we've even stopped arguing"

"Well that must be good" Yasmina suggested as she picked up Taxi season 4 7-12 and slotted that in the correct time order in her hand.

Harry pointed to the videos in Yasmina's hand "one of them has Judd Hirsch  
talking about him and his girlfriend arguing because they care too much but breaking up because they don't care enough."

Yasmina looked confused

"At least when we argue there's passion" Harry stated

"Come on Harry you care and so does he"

"But does he care enough?" Harry asked plaintively

"What makes you think he doesn't?"

"Things have changed, in the past two weeks he's barely been here"

"And when he has been here?"

"We just eat and drink and watch something and go to bed"

"So suggest you go out"

"We can't be bloody seen out together – it ruins everything" Harry ran her fingers back through her hair: Twice they had tried the taking risks idea, that first time they had bumped into Dave, two nights later Chas had miraculously taken Alice out to L'Escargot for their wedding anniversary and ended up on the table next to Harry and James. It had freaked Harry out but Dempsey had handled things well and suggested to Harry that they leave Chas and Alice in peace and quiet.

"Sorry I remember now. So why not go down to Winfield Hall?" Yasmina persisted

"I dunno" Harry shrugged "I think he's bored with me"

"Have you asked him what he's been doing?"

"Yes, but he just says 'it's nothing' or 'trust him'"

"And do you?"

"What?"

"Trust him?"

"Well that's just it isn't it?" Harry looked distraught "I can't trust him can I? Or else I wouldn't be worried? If I trusted him I wouldn't ask him what he was doing – so he knows I don't trust him" she drew breath "only the strange thing is I do trust him – well I mean I'm sure he's not seeing someone else…" Harry waited for Mina to say something reassuring but Yasmina was finding it harder by the minute.

The silence hung – pregnant and waiting

Yasmina looked around the room, she spotted a mug sitting behind the sofa on the floor, a pile of old New York Times, a GQ magazine which she was about to pick up when she spotted a black sock tucked away under the skirt of the sofa.

She decided that things had probably just got comfy but there was no way Harry was going to accept any rational debate so she plucked a 'dig at men' joke out of her memory.

"There was this kid 'T' sitting watching his mum cook and as she baked he announced 'When I grow up I want to be a man' and his mum replies "Don't be silly you can't do both"

A glimmer flicked across Harry's mouth and Yasmina decided that it was time to hit the town. Fortunately because she was the worlds greatest gossip collector Yasmina prattled on forever and once distracted enough Harry shook off her despair and enjoyed dancing.

************

Dempsey whistled as he waved goodbye to Mimi  
"Je voudrais t'inviter à venir à Paris avec moi" he yelled out to her

"Bientôt j'espère" she laughed back

He sprang into the driving seat of his car and repeated the same line to the air continually as he drove to Camberwell Grove. He felt as proud as punch; his French lessons had gone well, he would impress Harry.

He was disappointed to find her out, but he poured a beer and shoved a video tape on re read his sentence. He put the slip of paper down the side of the cushion on the sofa so he could find it if necessary. He finished the one beer and went for a second; as he passed his jacket thrown over the chair he picked it up and took out the tickets he had bought that afternoon. He smiled and took them with him back to the sofa and stashed them under the cushion as well, '"Je voudrais t'inviter à venir à Paris avec moi" he practiced

***************

As the taxi drew up to drop Harry off before taking Yasmina on to her flat they both noted Dempsey's car in the drive.

"Hmm I bet that's more socks stuffed under the sofa" she teased

"He takes them off when his feet get too hot halfway through the evening!" Harry explained

"Well why not go in and make him take a bit more off?" Yasmina suggested "It might be better than toe sucking"

"Yuck" Harry declared then burst out laughing "You have a terrible imagination"

"You have an unnecessarily morbid one sometimes" Yasmina ventured

Harry smiled "Maybe" she admitted "but we must do this a bit more often" she concluded as she climbed out of the taxi.

As she walked into the lounge Harry looked from Dempsey lounging on the sofa with his socks thrown on the floor to the TV where the opening credits of the next episode of Taxi were running. "How many times does he pass that same part of the bridge?" she asked rhetorically

Dempsey looked up "You're back" he surmised "where've you been?"

"Out"

"Out?" he echoed back searching for more information

"Yes Dempsey – out – where've you been?" Harry asked deciding to give nothing away and see how he liked it

"Out" he countered

Harry dug in, if he gave nothing neither would she "well I'm off to bed" she announced then glancing at the floor added "you'd better put your socks on before you drive home"

The sideball hit Dempsey hard, he had no idea where it had come from or what he had done to deserve it; he jerked upright.

"Excuse me?" he asked

"You can't just go awol halfway through the afternoon at work, then be absent all night and turn up here for a quick one before sleep"

"I wasn't out all night"

"For once, but I was Dempsey"

"Yes and I just asked you about that" he tried to work out what he'd done wrong but had no idea still; weren't you meant to take an interest in what your girlfriend did? Karen had told him to do so.

"You didn't answer my question" Harry returned to her point of grievance

James knew that all would be explained in about 30 seconds from now; he just wanted to get his well practised sentence delivered.

Without her question being addressed Harry watched Dempsey stand. She stooped and picked up his socks and passed them to him and turned and walked out into the hallway and upstairs to bed "shut the front door behind you" she instructed making her wishes obvious.

With all the wind taken out of his sail Dempsey dragged his socks over his feet, picked up his jacket and did just that.


	2. Chapter 2

Harry had intended to apologise, she didn't actually know what she was going to say but she had the right intentions ever since she had woken at 5.00am that morning. She had opened her mouth a couple of times already but nothing had been forthcoming; now she placed a mug of black coffee in front of Dempsey and quietly asked him if there was somewhere they could go to talk.

"Don't we have a snout to question?" he suggested

"Who?"

Dempsey looked into Makepeace's eyes, she seemed faraway and not following his reasoning "It don't matter we're not really going to see one are we?" he reasoned

She still looked slightly out of it "So we can talk" he prompted

"Good idea" she smiled and seemed to switch back on

Once again it was Dave who sprung through the office door and lit a forest fire with one small spark.

"Hey she's quite a cracker!" his comment was directed at Dempsey, of that there was no mistaking

Dempsey ran his finger along his lips instructing Dave to zip it, but although Harry noted it Dave was too full of himself and had turned to Tony to fill him in and totally missed the sign.

Dempsey made towards the door, but Harry sat back down.

"It was her that you were coming out of the travel agents with wasn't it?" Dave checked "about 4.00 yesterday afternoon"

"Ohh when Spikings was looking for you Dempsey and you were wagging it!" Watson worked out

"You were covering for me?" Dempsey checked suddenly fearing an onslaught from Spikings as well as the one he knew was about to hit him from Harry

"Sure man, we covered you"

"Listen Harry and I are off to see a snout…"

Harry rose "You might me Lieutenant, I've got other things do – I assume you can cover me too Watson"

Watson looked baffled and his gaze flitted from Makepeace to Dempsey and back "Of course" he mumbled "no problem, anytime"

"Good" Makepeace replied as she swung her handbag over her shoulder and marched out of the office.

Dempsey followed "Don't bother" she threw the words over her shoulder "go find a low life scumbag to talk to; that seems about your level"

******

Dempsey stopped in his tracks. Bloody Harry could be so damn infuriating and part of him was getting fed up with her lack of tolerance. He acknowledged that he had be intolerable in the past but he had changed, well he thought he had but it seemed Harry harboured old prejudice after old prejudice; if she didn't start looking forward then there might end up being nothing to look forward to. Shit, why were relationships so hard? With that thought and the earlier intention of talking to a snout both running through his mind Dempsey decided to track down Dan – his words were sometimes off beat and incomprehensible but buried amongst all that last time were the words of advice that saw him on the road to telling Harry that he needed her. And if all else failed he would drink whiskey until he was numb

******

Harry drove home; she was furious once again. She didn't know if she was madder at herself or Dempsey, apportioning her anger didn't help. She picked up the videos and stuffed them in a bag, threw the newspapers and magazines in the bin and found the sock Yasmina had spotted. That prompted her to look for more clothes and she pulled out boxer shorts, socks and one vest from her laundry basket. Like a treasure trail that sent her to the chest of drawers which now had a draw full of his spare clean underwear, and that pointed her towards the wardrobe which now seemed to house several shirts and a jacket. She kept the clean separate from the dirty but otherwise stuffed everything into any bag she could find.

The bathroom seemed even more poignant as she threw razors, aftershave, and toothbrushes together and a bathrobe. 'Damn you Dempsey' she yelled 'I really thought it wasn't another bloody woman, why the hell did you come back here last night – to tell me? You sat there drinking beer and watching TV whilst you waited to tell me about some other bloody woman' She lugged the bag downstairs and lined them all up by the front door – she couldn't bring herself to put them on the doorstep – only because it looked cheap. She threw the empty beer bottles in the bin and poured herself a glass of gin, she picked up a bottle of tonic water but replaced it unopened, with one hand she drunk gin from the glass, with the other she swigged it straight from the bottle.  
'Who was she? A mistake that you were never going to tell me about? Or one that you were going to confess and plead forgiveness?' Harry threw her questions out to the four walls but there was no reassurance returning to her and with her frustration rising rapidly she picked up a cushion and threw it at the silent walls.

******

After several hours and a zig zag tour of south London Dempsey found Dan. The bottle of whiskey he had bought Dan was a good third of the way down already. There was a fire cracking in an old oil drum and some of Dan's artwork on the wall.

"There you are Dan" Dempsey slurred slightly you're a hard man to find

"Those who seek and find will get their just reward"

"Is that good?" Dempsey asked wondering if he would understand anything his off beat snout would say

"I've got no information on the street so it must be personal" Dan predicted

"Dan tell me some more about women" Dempsey invited as he passed Dan the gift of an opened bottle of malt

"Women don't like the dark. It scares them."

"Nah harry doesn't get sacred in the dark."

"You shouldn't leave them alone in the dark for too long. The mists swirl round and they become disturbed." Dan continued

"What mists?" Dempsey asked

"The yellow and green they rise and swirl around women's heads." Dan's hands moved as he swirled them around to mimic the mists "Mist muffles the ears and blinds the eyes and in the darkness they become irrational."

"But I already said she ain't afraid of the dark."

"I'm not talking about the darkness of the night time" Dan stopped swirling his hands round his head "no this is figurative."

Dempsey shook his own head "I'm a simple man Dan I think you might need to spell it out a bit" he admitted

"What haven't you told her?"

"Nothing!" Dempsey paused trying to work our if that was the right answer, then in case he was wrong he continued "I mean everything… I mean I told her I needed her and I cared and even that I loved her, god damn it I love her." Dempsey brushed his hand through his hair as he spoke

"You wouldn't be here if you hadn't told her that." Dan philosophised "There must be something you've not said" he questioned again

"I'm telling you I've said everything"

"Women always presume the worst" Dan tried to think how to get the answer out of Dempsey "Tell me your dreams"

"Well I want to take her to Paris so I've been having these secret French lessons…"

Dan almost cried; Dempsey was so blind "You've kept her in the dark for too long the mists have risen" he proclaimed

"Yeh yeh the mists" Dempsey scorned

"Don't mock" Dan admonished

"I wasn't" Dempsey protested half heartedly "have some more whiskey it's a good Irish malt."

Dan took the bottle and drank before continuing "Jealousy and envy they're bedfellows that tear the truth apart"

"Are you telling me she's jealous of nothing?" Dempsey was beginning to seriously think he had no idea how women worked anymore.

"It's not nothing to a women I told you they're sacred of the dark."

"Ok ok I'm getting it." Dempsey swigged from the bottle before passing it back to Dan. "It sure took a long time to find you Dan." He admitted

"Enlightenment comes to all who seek"

"So tell me what that picture you've sprayed on that wall means?"

"That's innocence eating a child"

"Tell you what let's just finish this bottle?" Dempsey suggested and sat down and spat into the fire.


	3. Chapter 3

When Harry returned her gaze to the sofa she spotted a scrappy piece of paper and an envelope. She picked them up and uncurled the paper first; as her eyes grazed over the words they began to fill, her fingers barely functioned as she turned the envelope in her hands. Five minutes later she was still turning the envelope, the travel agency address was stamped on the back and the BA logo on the front. Two mascara stained lines contoured her cheeks, her throat tight and her breathing laboured; without a doubt she knew what was in the envelope. How dare he despoil her home with his betrayal, how could she have fallen in love with someone so shallow and superficial?

Suddenly her anger empowered her; she ripped open the envelope and pulled the first sheet of paper out.

It turned out to be a booking confirmation for The Marco Polo Suite at Le Meurice. Harry gasped, she had been to Le Meurice twice before in her life, but only stayed for one night. She knew they were usually booked up months or years ahead and was left wondering what magic Dempsey had conjured to book a suite and then her eyes widened as the down to earth practicalities of cost ran through her mind. Once those practicalities had flashed past a deep deep sickness returned; her heart was heavy and she sunk down in despair choosing the gin bottle rather than re filing her glass.

She threw the envelope and sheet of paper onto the floor; she felt betrayed, humiliated and utterly foolish just like she had felt when she found out about her husband and her best friend. Her anguish was worse though, she had never had the same feelings about Robert as Dempsey, Dempsey she had trusted with her heart – one hundred percent. Oh she got mad at him for not thinking – like the incident with taking Dave shopping and buying her underwear but out of all the times they had rowed… her mind wandered off but at every memory the knife of betrayal twisted and her torment multiplied. Desolation, despondency, dejection all pulled her down, down, down into a pit of abject despair, the bottle of gin her only companion.

*****

"Enlighten me with about your journey towards illumination" Dan invited Dempsey as he swung his arm towards the exit. Dan was in need of solitude once more.

"I followed my nose, I have a good nose" Dempsey slurred his words

"I meant did you drive"

"Did I drive?" Dempsey tried very hard to remember "Yeh I must have – how else would I trail you across the south London sprawl"

"Well this stuff" Dan waved the bottle "will take your sanity and your life"

"I never had no sanity Dan"

"Ride the serpent before you loose it all" Dan warned

"Dan I told you before…" Dempsey's dulled thought processes chugged slowly on but he could make no sense "I'm a simple man – is this one of you ali…" he stumbled again for the right word "…alligators, no aligorillas!" Dempsey triumphed

Dan sat back holding his silence and closed his eyes; Dempsey shrugged and made his way to the tube station.

Forty minutes later Dempsey flung himself into Harry's chair and swivelled 360 degrees, the office was nearly empty, Watson and Dave were the only ones in. "Did you find your snout?" asked Dave

"Hmmmm" Dempsey wasn't listening; he was looking around, searching and still swivelling "Did Harry come back?" he asked

"I thought you two were together"

"Literally or metaphorically?" Dempsey slurred and seeing the two blank faces staring back at him he leaned forward and stared into their faces "well it don't matter because I think it's a no on both counts"

"Did you get any good leads?" Watson tried as the realisation of Dempsey's drunken state started to dawn.

"I got aligorillas, lots of them all swinging through the trees"

Watson turned to Dave in panic and Dave put an arm on Dempsey's shoulder "I don't know what you're saying mate but I think you'd better get home before Spikings gets back"

"Oooh the boss, where is he I want to warn him…"

"Dempsey!" Spikings stood behind the threesome "You are on a warning and god help you if that becomes a written warning"

"Boss…"

"Do you know where I might find Sergeant Makepeace Lieutenant?" Spikings demanded

"She went off"

"I worked that much out myself Lieutenant, I didn't waste my years as a detective – I learnt how to detect! Now I want you to go and find me Sergeant Makepeace and then you both report for a double shift starting at 10.00pm." Spikings turned towards his office but as he passed the coffee machine he poured a mug of black coffee and returned to Dempsey "And tomorrow you'll tell me why I should keep you in London; It's not looking good from here Dempsey" he threatened.

"I'll give you a lift home Jim" Dave volunteered

Dempsey watched Spikings enter his inner office, he stood ready to throw his reply out but Watson pushed him back down "just drink the bloody coffee Jim"

******

Harry's phone rang but it took too long for her to stand and to stagger towards the phone; the answering machine cut in and Spikings' voice boomed out asking Sergeant Makepeace where the bloody hell she was. "Somewhere near hell" was her reply as she stood and looked at the red flashing light.

Harry didn't need to think, her fingers dialled Dempsey's number quickly and accurately; after six rings the answering machine cut in.

"Dempsey you bastard - you talk about low life! Let me tell you that you are lower than any low life you can name. If you reach the gutter then you would have climbed as high as you can get - why don't you stay in the sewer with the rats then one day someone might get to dissect you." She paused to swallow more gin and then continued "You must be the worlds most inconsiderate human – but then I've just realised you're not human are you? else you wouldn't be so cruel: You know what Dempsey they shoot hurt animals to put them out of their misery, maybe you'd like to use your magnum one more time before you go back to New York – or even just to 'gay Paris', as you may gather I'm not feeling too 'gay' at the moment." She lifted the bottle to her lips again "I wish I'd never met you, never gone to America to find to you, never believed you: I thought we had something special and you were just using me – well you bastard you've broken my heart and now I hate you.

******

Dave followed Dempsey into his flat feeling slightly uncertain of his role but Dempsey had insisted that Dave collect a file and take it back to Spikings. As Dave stood in the hallway waiting for Dempsey to find the paperwork he looked around searching for clues of Dempsey's new woman but there was nothing to note, he tried to crane his neck round to the bedroom but the door was barely ajar so his gaze returned to the hallway which only had one of Makepeace's coats that she must have left at some point. All he could see of note was the red flashing light of the answering machine and the longer Dempsey took the greater the temptation to press play became.

He could hear Dempsey crashing around, swearing when he stubbed his foot against something, 'if Dempsey was drunk' he reasoned to himself 'then he could get away with reminding Dempsey that he needed to listen to the answering machine'. Another obscenity came forth from the lounge and Dave pressed the button; the clatter subsided quicker than he would have liked.

Dave was hoping for sweet nothings and pet names from Dempsey's lady what he got was Makepeace screeching about lowlife and Dempsey haring out into the hallway and hearing Harry say that she hoped he would be dissected. Both men dived for the stop button, the reason Harry's rant stopped was that their combined weight landing across it yanked the answering machine clean away from its link to the wall, it went dead.

Dave anticipated death by torture, or at least being hoisted up the wall by his collar as Dempsey purged himself of his anger but Dempsey looked at him in horror, pushed the file into his chest and asked him to drop him at Harry's on the way back to the factory.

Not wanting to risk any further danger Dave did just that, driving in complete silence whilst Dempsey replayed the words he had heard over and over; Harry was mad at him over nothing and he didn't think he deserved that.


	4. Chapter 4

Dempsey almost dived out of Dave's car desperate for him not to follow into Harry's home but he needn't have worried Dave was equally keen to escape Dempsey's wrath. Dempsey turned the key in the lock but hesitated to push the door open, just stopping himself from drawing his gun in an automatic reflex on entering a dangerous situation. He decided to play the ignorance line "Hiya Honey…" as the words came out his feet tripped over a bag. Harry never had stuff on the floor so he looked down to see what was in the way – there were 5 assorted bags, one with his shirt falling out of the top. He gingerly lifted the side of a Waitrose carrier bag and spotted his video tapes "What the….."

"So you've come to collect your belongings" Harry announced

"What the hell is going on?" he demanded looking up to where she was advancing out of the lounge doorway

"I'm throwing you out" Harry picked up a bag and tossed it at him.

Dempsey caught the bag, placed it on the floor and walked towards Harry, she backed away telling him to "get out, get out of her home, her job and her life"

"Tell me one good reason why the fuck I should do that"

She backed herself onto the wall and he loomed over her placing his arms on the wall to her left and right pinning her there by his presence "Actually don't bother – that little line up there says it all. Well I'm not staying where I'm not wanted, I'll take my stuff, I'll go tell Spikings he can stop doing my transfer and I'll be back in New York tomorrow" He rocked back away from her, pushed his hair back off his face, rubbed his eye with his fist and then shoved his hands in his pockets "I'm lost Harry, I thought… well I guess it doesn't matter what I thought"

"You don't know? Mr know everything about picking up women doesn't know what he's done wrong? well let me give you a lesson, one that I really don't believe you'll ever learn" Harry pushed him backwards as her voice began to rise "It gets past a few months, it gets a bit tough and suddenly the 'us' that you so passionately talked about is gone, you have a new woman and you expect me to…. to do what? Be the happy best friend? Well I wanted to trust you, I tried I really tried but you went off, sneaked away, lied about where you were" Dempsey opened his mouth to protest at that point but Harry overrode him "Then bloody Dave sees you together"

"That's not…"

But Harry was on a roll "The biggest insult Dempsey was to leave that bloody envelope here…."

"You found the envelope?"

She looked at him, searching his eyes as a further realisation hit her – "that's it isn't it – you came back to get the bloody envelope"

"Have you opened it?"

"Why do you think I'll try to ruin your date"

Dempsey shook her "Harry have you opened the envelope?"

"How the bloody hell you can afford that hotel I don't know. – Yes I have opened the envelope"

Dempsey was confused, he stared at her trying to fathom out how she could be so wrong. The silence was fierce, his mind working overtime….. "The plane tickets Harry didn't you look at the tickets" he demanded

"Why would I want to do that?" she demanded back

He grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her into the lounge searching for the evidence.

"Ouch let me go" Harry demanded

"Not until I've shown you how very wrong you are" He spotted the envelope on the floor and dragged her across the room. He pulled out the flight folder and sliding out the plane tickets shoved them into her hand. "Here read them if it's the last thing you ever do for me you stupid stupid woman!"

Harry took them and hesitated before opening them, good god what was she about to read? It was a cruel twist of fate that the first ticket she opened was named James Dempsey, she had to repeat the trauma which seemed even more intensified. She opened the ticket but kept her gaze on him.

"Read it" he directed her, but she kept his gaze. All she knew was that this ticket was going to have some explanation, her mind raced and concluded that the name she was about to read would be Karen Dempsey.

Dempsey waited but she failed to look down; he turned and started to walk out of the room. Harry looked down and read her name. Speechless she couldn't do anything other than watch him pass through the doorway, turn to the right and towards the front door.  
The sobs started, heavy and laboured; she fought for breath almost hyperventilating. At the sight of his possessions all lined up in the hallway Dempsey slid down the wall and sat amongst them feeling utterly numb.  
Time almost stopped, each second took an hour to pass. The world had just collapsed in on James Dempsey and he was paralysed with the shock of it all.  
The broken shards of Harriet Makepeace's life tore at every memory she had from the last six months; each formed perfectly in her mind and then shattered before her closed eyes. She needed to be sick. When she opened her eyes Harry was dumbfounded to see that the lounge was neat, tidy and still in one piece but the nauseas feelings intensified and she ran upstairs to the bathroom. There was no reason as to why she came back downstairs rather than seeking the solace of her bedroom but she did and to her amazement as she did so she saw Dempsey with his knees bent up into his chest watching her every step.

She blinked but he was still there. "I thought you had gone" she walked over towards him, her hand outstretched

"Don't touch me" he warned

"Oh god I'm so sorry" she sat on the bottom stair and looked across at him waiting but nothing happened apart from the tick of the grandfather clock filling the vacuum. "James say something" she pleaded

He kept his silence

"James I never meant…"

"To hurt me? Well you have – a lot" he looked at her "Do you think it's easy to walk in here and find your bags packed for you?"

"It's just…. O god…." she buried her face in her hands not knowing how to finish her sentence

Dempsey waited until she finally looked up before he spoke "What bit about 'us' that I have said didn't you believe? Do you know what that feels like to have your words thrown back in your face?"

Harry hung her head and sobbed but she had no reply

"All I did was to have a few French lessons so I could arrange a trip for us, for you and me to be alone, to have fun and you thought I was having an affair? If you've got such a low opinion of me why did you sleep with me Harry?"

"O god, please believe me, I do love you, I do trust you"

"Enough for Dave to say one line and you throw me out of your life"

She reached out to him "James…" she sobbed "When I closed my eyes in there it was too awful to imagine; I can't live without you"

"But Harry you've gotta ask this question - can you live with me?"

"I can, god I'm sorry, I'm so sorry"

"Cos I can't go through this pain too often Harry, you cut me up"

"I know I know, I know it hurts because it hurts me so much it made me sick" she looked at him "please James there is an 'us' Harry and James"

"But you've gotta believe in it, believe in me"

"I do, really"

Dempsey pushed his hair back and noticed the cold sweat on his face "I can't understand it Harry – how did you imagine I was seeing someone else"

"I don't know – there was this fear and it grew in my mind and you weren't there so it kept growing…. O god please Dempsey we can't be over I love you, I love you so much it hurts"

"It sure hurts" he looked into her eyes "I've never cheated on a woman, never"

"But my husband cheated on me" Harry whispered "and I'm so frightened James, so frightened…"

Her plea tugged on the heart strings of a man who still so utterly loved her, and he instantly loathed Robert Makepeace with an intensity he had only ever experienced once before – the time he thought Coltrane had killed Harry. He hated him for what he had done to her in the years past but he hated him even more for what he had done to the two of them today. He reached out an arm and took Harry across to the wall with him.  
They fell back into silence.

Harry played nervously with his fingers and hand, Dempsey was grateful for her touch; he put his other arm around her shoulder and after a time began to fiddle with her hair. The exhaustion that both felt showed first as Harry found herself leaning on Dempsey and letting her eyes close; Dempsey didn't sleep but his deep fatigue held him there on the floor until the discomfort from the floor and chilling draft from the door become greater than the receding pain of their tempestuous argument. He released himself from being leaning post to Harry. As she stirred she watched him pick up the bags with his clothes in.

"Will you come back?" she questioned

"Actually I wasn't going" he informed her

"Oh" Harry didn't know what to make of it,

"I thought I'd put my stuff back" he explained "It's not easy Harry – you and me - but it would rip me into a hundred parts to walk out of here with these bags. I love you with all my heart and I really hope you believe me because I really do"

"I do" she faltered "I really believe you and I really…." She was about to say love you when inspiration hit her "Je t'aime. Je voudrais t'inviter à venir à Paris avec moi"

He pulled her up to standing with him, he kissed her ear "l'oreille" he said with a passable French accent, "le nez" he murmured as he kissed her nose, "la bouche" he whispered as his fingers traced her lips before he bent and kissed them.

Harry wasn't certain what to do "About that Paris bit" Dempsey spoke softly into her ear "Bientôt j'espère"

Another reconciliation was sealed with a kiss.


	5. Chapter 5

It wasn't until James sat in the kitchen watching Harry that he realised quite how drunk she still was. She had insisted on washing up two mugs and giving a running commentary on her actions had deliberately and precisely trailed circles and then a pattern with cross hatching of washing up liquid into each cup. Dempsey had smiled and felt a warmth radiate from inside. Harry let the hot water create mugs of froth that brimmed over and flowed down the sides; she had seemed surprised that the multiple excess of soap created so many bubbles and had greeted the masses of bubbles with a 'whoops' and blew them across and up into the air. She had tried to catch them like a two year old and James had laughed at her until she shot him a reproachful look. He had swept up some of the still forming froth and decorated her cheeks and nose with it before wrapping his arms around her and suggesting they used two clean mugs as he also found the cafetière and the coffee. As the coffee brewed he flicked the bubbles still holding their own heaped in the two mugs and Harry joined him. "This is war" she had declared and each took a vessel of bubbles and scooped and tossed them at each other, skirting around the kitchen table

"I'm the cop, you're the robber" Dempsey teased

"No way – I'm good" Harry protested and a cheeky smile lit her eyes as she realised how her words could be taken

"You sure are Princess" James winked back at her

Harry stumbled and Dempsey caught her, he put his mug of spent bubbles down and cupped her face and kissed her before declaring the coffee ready. Harry insisted on taking over pouring the coffee from James and he watched her do exactly what he knew she would, brim the mugs and then attempt to pass to him a mug so full there was no way she couldn't spill some of it despite her best balancing act and concentration. She seemed to have one 'whoa' for when it was about to tip left and a 'whoops' for her over correction and the splash to the right. Once she had achieved her mission of delivering the overfull mug into his hand Dempsey placed it on the table and as Harry had searched the room deciding where to sit herself he pulled her gently onto his lap. Harry wrapped herself around him time it was her who initiated the kiss as she declared 'I'm good'. As he felt her lips caressing his James hugged her tightly to him and ran his fingers through her hair and felt extremely relieved that he had the opportunity to experience it again.

Harry jumped off his lap and grinning like a Cheshire cat turned and placing herself sitting astride him she started to unbutton his shirt. Dempsey watched her fingers fumble and flicked his eyes back up to view the focused attention on her face. How much did you drink Harry he asked gently, with no admonishment just a very gentle question because he loved recognising things about her and this study of concentration only appeared when she was plastered.

"Don't you want it?" she asked suddenly concerned

"Oh yes I do" he kissed her more deeply this time and continuing his kiss he found the bottom button of her blouse and started to release each one.

Soon their arms and fingers were tangled and Dempsey gently eased Harry back. He quickly undid the last two buttons on his shirt before she noticed and then returned to attend the three on her blouse.

She felt his hands caressing the skin of her belly and back as she feathered his muscular chest with her fingers and their lips collided with each other again.

She lifted his shirt up off his shoulders but it didn't fall far because his arms were wrapped around her back as he toyed with her bra fastening.

The doorbell rang, it was ignored by both but on its third repeat the caller was obviously getting impatient and started to tap it repetitively.

"I think they want us to answer" Dempsey surmised

"Well you go – you're more presentable than me" Harry stood and pushed Dempsey towards the door

"You look very presentable to me" Dempsey grinned

"Go"

"I've gone" he laughed not even bothering to attempt to button his shirt. As he opened the door the coolness of the night air raced in and suddenly Dempsey prayed it wouldn't be SI10.

"That'll be £8.20" announced the delivery boy and Dempsey instantly remembered the curry he'd ordered half an hour earlier whilst Harry was insisting on putting all his dirty clothes in the washing machine. He handed over a £10 note and told the boy to keep the change.

The smell of food reminded him how hungry he was and the cartoons of chicken jalfrezi, rice and the naan bread captured all of his attention.

"Dinner time" he announced as he returned to Harry who had managed to rebutton her blouse, all be it one button out of alignment.

Even Harry ate hungrily until about half the food was gone and as both slowed Harry returned to the earlier crisis "James, about today, I wish it hadn't happened"

"Me too Harry"

"Do you think we can still be the same?" she ventured

"There's a saying 'what doesn't kill you makes you stronger'" Dempsey pronounced.  
Harry forced herself to look into his eyes still dreading to see hurt or pain or bitterness and was relieved to see none of that

"I guess that makes us stronger" he mused.

She smiled and offered James a forkful of curry which he ate. "This time I'll do the washing up" he suggested "after all we don't want to sink the whole kitchen under bubbles". As he spoke about bubbles and ate the curry he'd ordered whilst Harry had attended the laundry Dempsey had a foreboding "did you put the powder in the washing machine?" he asked

"Of course" Harry defended

The mental image Dempsey had was precisely accurate and in the utility room he could now see foam still coming out of the soap draw despite the dial indicating the programme had reached the rinse cycle. He collapsed laughing and swung Harry, who had followed him through, up into the air and then sat her on top of the washing machine. "I love you when you're drunk" he chuckled

Level with each other their eyes locked and James pushed Harry's hair back from her face as he held it and kissed her. She kissed him back and soon their previous arousal was restored. James pointed out that her blouse would need to be unbuttoned again and Harry had no objection. Their clothes began to form a pile but when the next spin started Harry objected to the noise and the venue; she took him by the hand and suggested they find somewhere a little more comfortable.

Therein lay the mistake, in the utility room at the back of the house with the noise of the washing machine spinning the phone couldn't be heard; now as they reached the hallway the answering machine cut in and for the second time that day Spikings voice boomed out.

"Makepeace!"

"Sir" she picked the phone up

"You and Batman are supposed to be on surveillance as of half an hour ago"

"Are you saying I'm Robin, because….."

"I'm saying Sergeant that you will be on a disciplinary charge if you're not careful…."

Dempsey looked at his watch, he had no idea that so much time had passed. "He took the phone from Harry "Boss I'm real sorry I came round to fetch Harry but there was this road block on the way and I only just got here. We're on our way right now Boss – what say you give us the briefing as we drive straight there."

Harry looked perplexed and James explained that Spikings was putting them on surveillance as punishment.

"He said that?" Harry asked with apprehension

"Not in so many words but I bet it will be a bum steer" Dempsey slipped on his shirt and jacket and checked his gun and then made sure that Harry had dressed herself correctly although she interpreted his stare at her chest somewhat differently.

As Dempsey drove Harry's white escort to the dock area Spikings had nominated Harry sat complaining. "He thinks I'm Robin, I'm telling you he does"

"Well I aint" Dempsey protested

"Why should you be Batman? That comes back to the prejudicial sexist thinking…."

"Well I'm happy to be neither – I don't go round in my underpants" Dempsey laughed "So do you think you're Cagney or Lacey?" he posed

"Neither, those women give detectives a bad name, they are hormonal, stereotypical women"

"And you're not?"

"No"

Dempsey thought otherwise but refrained from saying but he did recall a few memories "Oh well let's see in the NYPD liking Mary Beth…"

"Good grief Dempsey"

"What?"

"You watched it?"

"Of course! All the guys on a late would pile into the back office…"

Makepeace looked at him with disbelief but posed another question "Starsky or Hutch?"

"Which is the dark haired one?"

"Hutch"

"Well I guess him the – only I don't dress like him either"

Harry laughed – "green underpants or a knitted cardi – you yanks really know how to dress for work"

Their conversation was cut through by the RT "Control to Charlie 5 are you there yet?"

"We're approaching the site now Chas, where do you suggest we park – a car is quite obvious out here at night"

"Spikings says there are a series of archways under the railway, he suggests you back into one of those and wait"

"I really don't think we'll see anything"

"I don't know the case" Chas avoided any discussion "just passing on the info"

"Sure, thanks Chas, over and out" Dempsey switched the RT off and reversed into blackness "Detention begins" he murmured to Harry


	6. Chapter 6

"So what famous duo hasn't Spikings used about us yet? Say we could suggest some to him" Dempsey was keen to avoid any of Harry's serious conversations

"Oh I don't know" Harry was actually equally keen not to analyse the day just gone but to look forward to the days to come "Well there's Tom and Jerry" she suggested

"Or Sylvester and Tweety Pie"

"And you're suggesting Sylvester is?"

"I'm kinda thinking…." In the silence neither could work it out until Dempsey grinned

Makepeace who had given up thinking and started watching Dempsey smiled at his mischievousness "What?" she asked

"Spikings! Sylvester is like Spikings" Dempsey exclaimed

Harry laughed "I thought I saw a puddy cat" she paused "mind you, you do drive him mad"

"Me!" Dempsey defended playfully

"So what about more equal pairings?" Harry thought "Like Pinky and Perky"

"Or Miss Piggy and Kermit" Dempsey leaned across, cursing the awkwardness of the car to himself "Kermit loves Miss Piggy" he said in a mock low drawl, raising and lowering his eyebrows as he flirted, catching her fringe and pushing it back a little

"Well if you want lovers you could go for Romeo and Juliet, or Cleopatra and Antony "

"Don't they all end up dead?" Dempsey pointed out "No, how about Snow White and Prince Charming! Happy ever after" he triumphed. His other hand ran from her knee upwards "You are the fairest of them all" he opened his eyes wide as he sought approval

Harry tapped his hand, "we're on duty"

"So" Dempsey tried again "No one's watching"

"That's not the point" she placed his arm back on his lap "No!" she caught his eye "No, no and no!" she reiterated

Dempsey burst out laughing "Punch and Judy" he pronounced

Makepeace laughed "Good one – you are always in trouble"

"I was thinking more about the nagging wife" Dempsey looked straight at her and Harry felt her heart jump "Well if you just kept to the usual rules Dempsey…what about some real detectives like Holmes and Watson?"

"Are you implying I smoke cannabis?"

"No because you can be Watson – I'm the brains remember Dempsey?"

"Crockett and Tubbs" Dempsey had a flash of inspiration

"Have you?" Harry asked still following through the previous topic of conversation

"Have I what" Dempsey sat back upright in his confusion

"Done cannabis?"

"I grew up on the streets"

"That's not an answer"

"Are you telling me that at your posh boarding school you never tried nothing?"

"I'm not telling you anything"

Dempsey decided to give in "So Crockett and Tubbs? What do you reckon?"

"Well you make a pretty good Crockett"

"Hmmm" Dempsey reached back over to Harry but very lightly caught her earlobe with his finger "you win some, and you win some" he whispered

Harry wriggled "You're not listening" she scolded as his face drew closer  
"Yeah, I am. I just don't give a damn" Dempsey replied "You and me got interrupted" he went for her top button with his other hand

"Dempsey we can't do stuff like that here"

"Because it's here or on duty" he asked as he twisted it out of its buttonhole

"We're on duty - it's against the rules" she turned her face away

Dempsey simply kissed her neck instead "You've got to know the rules before you can break 'em. Otherwise, it's no fun and this is sure going to be fun" he murmured as he turned her face back to his and placed his lips firmly over hers.

Harry's body overruled her mind and she kissed him back.

Dempsey had managed to release one more button before he complained "This is kinda difficult" as he found himself holding Harry more to stop himself from falling than to appreciate her body. "Can you sit more over this way?"

Harry automatically hitched herself across towards the centre of the car before it dawned on her what she was doing. She looked out into the darkness and saw nothing and then looked back at Dempsey "take that wicked grin off your face" she rebuked deliberately looking back outside of the car again.

"There ain't nothing to see" Dempsey wrapped his arm around her waist to pull her a bit further across

"We're here to keep watch Dempsey"

"We're on a bum steer stake out because Spikings is hacked off with us"

"So let's not cause him any more grief; I'd really rather keep my job"

"Come on, he's a pussy cat really - he can't do without us"

Harry sat determinedly facing forward "What are we looking for?" she asked after a few minutes of seeing nothing

"I told you nothing, the boss just parked us out here because I rolled in..." he paused and held back from saying stone drunk "... a tiny bit worse for wear"

"Sloshed" Harry corrected with a grin beginning to form at the corner of her mouth

"Well now I think you scored higher than me on that one" Dempsey defended as he watched Harry pick up the RT

"Charlie 5 to control what exactly are we looking for here Chas?"

"Just any unusual activity"

"Have you got any more detailed info"

"Sorry Harry, just that - Spikings has gone home and I'm off duty at midnight"

"Thanks Chas, over and out"

"See no one's expecting anything to happen so we may as well invent our own activity" Dempsey breathed his words into her ear and then down her neck

"Dempsey keep your eyes on the road"

Dempsey sat back up grinning, he'd expected nothing else but it was fun to push and see what he could get away with, his hand returned to Harry's knee and started to graze upwards

"And your hands on the wheel" Harry remonstrated

"Yes Maam" he conceded as he returned to his own side of the car.

Nearly an hour later Dempsey had picked at any thread he could find, flicked every switch a hundred times and worn a groove where his fingers had tapped continuously. Harry was frozen rigid and was fast coming to the conclusion that Dempsey was right; most criminal activity ceased by the early hours of the morning "I am so cold" she emphasised the 'so'

"I'll warm you up" Dempsey offered

"Hmmm and the rest" she said knowingly

"Well sure, I can do the rest no problem" Dempsey replied cheekily to his utter amazement Harry jigged herself up and across towards his lap.

"No good" she announced "the steering wheel - this side is better"

"You want me to sit on your lap?" Dempsey clarified

"No I want you to sit here" she opened the car door and stood outside as he moved across then she squeezed back in, sat on his lap and put her feet across onto the drivers seat, her knees arching over the gear stick and pulled his arms around her "now warm me" she challenged.

As he pulled Harry into the shell his body was making for her James revelled in the warmth she brought to his body, the only difference being that he wouldn't admit to being cold. He rubbed her upper arms and then tried to get his jacket to do up with Harry inside as well; it wouldn't actually meet but extra layer and attempt helped.  
Harry looked outside once more "no one will turn up this late" she sighed

"Tell you what let's take it in turns to watch" Dempsey suggested "you have a half hour or so then we'll swap"

"Sure?"

"Sure"

Dempsey looked out into the darkness – he couldn't see anything but now he could feel the rise and fall of Harry as she slept; he looked down and watched her instead. The clouds finally were blown west and the half moon shone giving Dempsey just a little light. He could still see nothing outside but he could now make out the profile of Harry. He took in every aspect of her face; her closed eyes, her nose and lips, her hair fanning out over his arm. His eyes followed her neck, under her chin and then he noticed how the moonlight emphasised the curve of her breast. His free hand excruciatingly lightly followed his gaze tracing her eyes, nose, lips and as the minutes turned into half hours his finger tips finished exploring her neck and crept towards the delightful curve. He twisted one more button undone and smiled at the view; his fingers still danced lightly across her skin. Then Dempsey became aware of the change in Harry's breathing, he looked and saw her eyes widened as his hands traced along the lace of her bra, lifting it off her skin; Harry pulled Dempsey down and as she kissed him started to unbutton his shirt, attempting to throw it and his jacket off his shoulders.

"Wow" Dempsey breathed

"I think we might need to find a bit more space outside the car" Harry urged

Dempsey released the seat back and rolled her under him "Will this help?" he asked his hands exploring Harry's back and looking to release her bra

With Dempsey arched over her Harry twisted slightly and pushed herself up against him, but as he found the bra fastening she moaned again "outside Dempsey, not in here we need to be outside"

"It's not exactly a moon lit haven out there princess" he pointed out more taken aback at her boldness than he dared to admit.

Harry wriggled underneath him again then her eyes flicked up to meet his "No Lieutenant I mean we've just been clocked and it seems that Spikings' job is a goer"


	7. Chapter 7

"Do you mean you weren't for making out back there in the car?" Dempsey asked rather loudly as he and Makepeace strode down the corridors of SI10

"If you seriously thought that Lieutenant you have some definite misconceptions" It was a little before 5.00am and no one was around but Harry hushed her voice

"Are you telling me ladies don't do that sort of thing?" Dempsey didn't quieten his voice

"I'm telling you that sane human beings find better times and places;" Harry paused in the middle of a corridor "Dempsey are you telling me that you really expected something to happen in a cramped car in the middle of a freezing night?"

"Well not until you started…" Dempsey stopped several metres in front and walked back to her "– I thought my ship had come in and now I'm meant to believe that was all show"

Sensing Dempsey's next move Makepeace started to walk again "There was a guy standing outside trying to suss out if we would be a problem to his drug trafficking; we convinced him otherwise – he went off – we followed and nicked three guys and a tidy haul of cocaine. That makes a good night's work!" She pushed open the door to their office

"Is that what we tell the boss?" Dempsey asked quite seriously now

Harry coughed "We don't tell him anything he doesn't need to know"

She put a sheet of paper into her typewriter and started to type. "When does our second shift start?" she asked as she started to type up the report.

Dempsey just stood in the middle of the office and stretched. "At least get two mugs of coffee Dempsey" Harry suggested in frustration.

As Dempsey placed a mug down for Harry he postulated "the office is empty, there was no backup – I think that we found that little haul by fluke"

"By damned hard work" Makepeace corrected him

"Spikings had no idea – if he knew there was that much snow out there he would have someone at least in here"

"What are you saying Dempsey?" Makepeace was frustrated and tired

"That Spikings parked us there and it was chance that we found something" Dempsey growled

"Well all in a night's work then hey?" Makepeace retorted sarcastically

Dempsey sat on the edge of her desk and watched her type until she came to an abrupt halt.

"Hey don't mind me" Dempsey urged jumping off the desk and returning to the coffee machine "You don't think Milton was importing directly do you?" she asked whilst watching Dempsey pouring himself a second cup "Or do you think he could have been still passing some of the stuff Cortez brought over? Wasn't there some unaccounted for?" Harry ran her pen around her lips. Dempsey watched the pen; it was a habit of hers that drove him to distraction sometimes. Harry stood and walked over to him, lifted the mug from his hand, took a sip and suggested that 'he made a contribution to the desk work by going down to the records' office and pulling the Cortez' files.'

Dempsey noted the look of hard determination on Harry's face "I'm gone" he said without even protesting over his coffee.

Dempsey yawned as he made his way back, file in hand. He really needed some sleep and he was looking forward to curling up in bed with Harry; now she would be wanting one of her long hot baths… "you in your bed Harry and me in yours" he muttered under his breath. It was as he did so that he noticed the shower rooms he happened to be passing and inspiration hit him. Dempsey fished through the files until he found an old piece of blank paper and he wrote a note, making his hand writing as round as possible in a disguise from his random long scrawl where too often he mixed his capital and lowercase letters in the same word.

By the time he arrived back in the office Dempsey had flicked through half the pages and even spotted the connection. "We have him Makepeace" Dempsey announced and placed three sheets of paper in front of her "Evidence, evidence and proof"

"Fantastic" she said as she stretched back "you put that together; I'm off for a well earned long, very hot, shower"

Dempsey grinned "Shall I put everything on the Boss' desk when I'm done" he asked very nouveau innocently

Harry looked at his suspiciously, her eyes narrowing but she was too dog tired to worry any further "that would be great, thank you Dempsey"

Dempsey let her go and typed fast and furiously; the keys were already hammering against the paper by the time Harry closed the door behind her, she stood still for a moment trying to workout what was going on but with no instant solution she shrugged and made her way to the showers.

She pushed open the door and groaned as she read the sign declaring that 'we are very sorry but these showers are out of action due to essential maintenance'. She ran her hands through her hair, damn she needed this shower. Her watch indicated it was barely past 6.00am, she exhaled, drew another deep breath and made her decision – a shower it was; she took a towel from her locker and pushed open then men's washroom.

Dempsey dumped the full report on Spikings' desk and made his way down to the showers. He turned the door handle and felt the resistance of the lock; it forced a grin on his face, his hand reached into his pocket and he took out the small widget and worked his magic.

Conjuring up every ounce of stealth he closed the door behind him and listened to the water splashing before swiftly removed all of his clothes. He went to pull back the shower curtain but hesitated for just a second and bent to check that the feet, yes it was Harry in there, he wouldn't want to hop into the shower with one of his colleagues, he would never live that down, but he would recognise Harry's perfectly pedicured feet anywhere having spent many hours massaging them after a hard day of hunting criminals.

"Harry is that you?" he asked feigning innocence

"Dempsey! How the hell did you get in here?"

"Through the door, like always" he grinned mischievously

"I thought I locked it"

"You did"

Harry groaned - Dempsey and locked doors! "Well now you're here you can pass me my conditioner"

"Sure" Dempsey grabbed the bottle and quietly stepped into the shower, Harry had her back to him so he allowed himself to gaze up and down her naked body before he reached forward, running his hands around her hips and onto her perfectly toned tummy. "It's only me, don't scream" he whispered into her ear

"Get out!" she commanded him deliberately keeping her back to him

"I've got your hair stuff"

She grabbed the bottle out of his hand "now you can go" she ordered turning to face him

"Well since I'm here" his eyes flicked from her face downwards and back up to her eyes

"There's a whole row of showers – pick any"

"This one seems best" his eyes grazed the figure standing in front of him

"Dempsey I don't want to be caught in a shower with you" Harry's eyes flicked from Dempsey's eyes to the curtain and back

"Well I'm in the right showers – you're in the wrong ones" he inched closer to her

"Only because the women's are out of action for mainten…."she slowed as his skulduggery registered …ance. You bastard"

"I don't know what you are talking about" he pretended without much conviction, circling back round to ensure Harry would have to pass him to exit the shower

"I know exactly"

"I have no idea, I just thought I'd save water" he faked

This time Harry shifted her gaze from his eyes downwards "I think you thought a bit more than that Lieutenant" she couldn't but help smile at the view

"Ok" he conceded "I figured we could pick up where we left off in the car" Dempsey stroked her arm

"Well you can't pick up from there because we were pretending!" Harry determinedly massaged the conditioner into her hair. The shape and curves her body made thrilled Dempsey and he took his time to enjoy the view "Were we?" he eventually asked

"Yes" she stepped back fully under the water to rinse her hair

"I wasn't" he watched the white creamy conditioner run down her body

"Well you were naughty – we were on duty"

"Oooh I can get way naughtier" Dempsey stepped under the flow of water with Harry and started to run his fingers over her skin

"Stop it" she hissed

"Why should I" he asked as he cupped a breast in his hand, feeling the curve and the weight and circling his thumb

"Because I might lose control" she whimpered

"So if I do this.... does it help?" he asked as his left hand scrunched her hair and brought her face to his

"No it doesn't" she protested at the same time as accepting his kisses

"It seems to me it helps" he said before his tongue started to part her lips

"It doesn't help me throw you out of this shower" she kissed him back

"Ah, then it does help, and so will this" his hand trailed up and down her spine as he edged her whole body into contact with his

"Dempsey we can't do it here" she protested as her hands started to run through his wet hair

"Why not? We did in the locker room, this is more private"

Their kissing deepened until Harry pushed him back "Dempsey NO! we'll get a warning"

"Honey we won't get any more of a warning for going all the way, than where we're at at the moment" he spoke as he kissed her shoulders and collar bone "You've got to admit the thrill is a bit sexy, and it's a hell of a lot warmer than the car"

"Well it's steamy" she laughed

"Oh we can get things a lot steamier" Dempsey murmured as Harry arched her head back, allowing his tongue to play down her neck and over her breasts; the onslaught of the water running over her increasingly sensitive skin, her open mouth caught some of the water - she decided the time had come to take a more active role.


	8. Chapter 8

Spikings smiled, he imagined taking the report in his hand upstairs, he kissed the paper and called it 'my beauty'. He had received a phone call complaining that his officers were demanding police cells without completing all the booking procedures and as an aside the caller mentioned 50 kilos of cocaine thus at 6.15 he was sitting in his office.

***

James held her body to him in a close embrace, his cheek resting against her wet hair. Harry stroked his back and with her eyes closed felt a warmth that radiated between them.

"Boy I was really scared we'd never get to do this again" as he nuzzled Harry

"We're more than just sex James" she said as she enjoyed his hold and hand stroking her skin

"Yeh, but we're pretty damn good at that part" James pulled back so he could see her face

"True" she smiled and they kissed gently, tenderly.

"I take it that you still love me then?" James asked "you know despite..."

"…being incorrigible but totally lovable… yes James Dempsey I do"

"Me too – well the loving you bit…"

Harry stopped him with another kiss

***

Tony didn't know where Makepeace was but he had come on duty just before Dempsey had mentioned he was off for a shower and so Spikings made his way downstairs. He opened the door and listened to the rush of water "Dempsey!"

There was no reply, Harry wide eyed and panicking leapt off the floor and clung to James like a monkey, arms wrapped around his neck and legs wrapped around him.

"What?" James mouthed in astonishment

"He might see my feet" Harry pointed down to the floor and mouthed her words in silence

"Dempsey well done" Spikings reiterated

"We got them boss"

"I heard, good work. Do you know where Harry is?"

"No idea – can we talk later boss?" Dempsey tried to sound casual but hearing Spikings voice whilst Harry's naked body was pressing against his was disturbing.

Dempsey turned the shower off "Can you pass me a towel Boss?" he asked

Harry dropped with a thud and alarm; she couldn't believe his actions or words. James stuck his arm out from the shower curtain but Spikings hadn't moved

"I'm going over to see Milton myself" he announced instead

"Sure Boss, I'm going for breakfast" Dempsey replied and once he heard the door click shut he stepped out from the shower and locked the door.

***

As Spikings made his way to the car park he passed the women's changing rooms, he paused then knocked on the door; he edged it open a fraction and then noticing the notice he was forced to reconsider where Makepeace was.

***

As they walked to the canteen Harry still remonstrating with Dempsey. "I can't believe you did that"

"I sure can, it was pretty hot stuff"

"Not that!" she blushed as the actuality dawned on her "good grief Dempsey you are a terrible influence on me"

"Well when Tony asks me about my shower I'll…."

"Dempsey do you like playing with fire or just torturing me?"

"What are you complaining about? It takes two to do those antics we just got up to"

"Inviting Spikings to pass you a towel – who knows what he might have seen!"

"What you wanted him to stand there forever?"

"Well no"

"Harry you know the Boss, there was no way on earth he would step in and pass me a towel but it got rid of him fast enough"

"Hmmm" Harry had to concede that Dempsey's logic had been on target.

***

An hour later Spikings found his targets still in the canteen, he sat opposite them

"I've just interviewed Milton and his sidekicks myself" he informed the pair

"Sir" Harry dipped her head and Dempsey looked straight at Spikings challenging him "They were going at it like rabbits" Spikings quoted

"Undercover" Dempsey countered rapidly "It was purely undercover – wasn't it Harry?"

Harry felt the heat rush from her neck up her face; she knew she probably looked like a beetroot. She glared at Dempsey "trust me Sir we needed to convince Milton that we wouldn't be bothering his little operation"

Spikings looked from one to the other and back "I'll put you with Dave and see what undercover you come with" he threatened before he threw a fax down in front of Makepeace and waited for her to pick it up and read it.

"We can take the girl too?" she read out with disbelief "you arranged to send me to New York without discussing it"

"The option remains open sergeant" Spikings let the threat rest, the fax that he sent in reply stating that he would never let his two best officers leave London remained within his file. He stood and left them to their breakfast commenting that he hoped the second shift would be as profitable as the first meanwhile he had to face the commissioner yet again to discuss 'things'. With the word 'things' he gave Dempsey a meaningful nod.

"What sort of 'things' does he mean?" Harry demanded of Dempsey

"My permission to work here in London" he explained guiltily adding very quickly "but I never asked for O'Grady to take you"

"I thought you were just working as a transfer"

"Yup but that experiment finished and O'Grady wanted me back and the commissioner needs to give me permission to work over here"

"And when were you going to tell me about this?" Harry demanded quite angrily

"When Spikings had worked his magic" Dempsey tried to sound bright but Harry saw straight through the front into a hollow pit of anxiety

"You idiot" she said as pity replaced anger

"Harry I'm kinda worried actually, I think he is running out of time and the commissioner doesn't like me"

"I would come with you" she offered softly

"You couldn't – not leave England and all your inheritance"

"I've said before…."

"Ah there you are!" Tony interrupted any further conversation with a question about following up a lead on the banking con he was working on.

***

It was 11.00 before Spikings returned from upstairs; as he passed by he tapped Dempsey on the shoulder and beckoned him to follow. Dempsey looked at Harry, shrugged his shoulders as if this next conversation was nothing more than inconsequential routine and stood to follow Spikings into his office. By the time he had taken 10 paces the enormity of the occasion hit Dempsey in the gut and winded him. He looked back of to Harry and reached out his left arm, palm open inviting her to hold his hand; as he did so he surrendered all of his independence to have Harry by his side, things were so different now.

Harry darted over and once she had caught up with him Dempsey stepped into Spikings' office, he didn't take hold of Harry's hand until she had closed the door behind her.

Spikings rubbed his head; he noted the uncertainty and anxiety mixed in Dempsey's eyes and the clasped hands of his best two detectives. He thought back to his decision 3 years ago to pair his interloping yank with his upcoming sergeant, he had made it on the spur of the moment – he was glad that he had.

"My life has never been so complicated, you shot those 5 police officers within hours of landing and it seems your gun has never been long in its holster since! I suppose the British tax payer would thank you as they have more money to spend since so few of your cases get to court but I have spent more hours upstairs defending your flagrant disregard of the rules than I did in all my years in the service before you arrived…" he paused as he noticed a wry smile begin to creep over Dempsey's face "You might not have anything to smile about in a minute Lieutenant…"

"Oh yes I will, if you hadn't of gotten my permit I wouldn't be getting the lecture…"

"Damn you Dempsey you are so bloody cocksure….." Spikings opened the folder he was carrying and took out a small insignificant looking document and passed it to Dempsey who took it in his right hand. As his eyes skimmed the words _permanent_, _UK_ and _police_ he squeezed Harry's hand.

"This has been a long drawn out battle Dempsey; I had to fight off O'Grady at the same time as getting the commissioner on board…"

"What can I say boss, I'm a popular man to have the powers of SI10 and the NYPD both fighting for me…."

"Err what he means Sir" Harry cut in "is that he is very grateful and will try hard not to shoot quite so many criminals and to keep more of the rules"

Dempsey looked at Harry quizzically, she looked back at him and then burst out laughing and Spikings, despite all his attempts to remain formal and gruff gave in and smiled.

"I guess this means an early lunch at the Bramcote" Spikings sighed as he moved towards the office door.

"Just one minute please, before you open that door Boss" Dempsey requested. Spikings raised his brow "for me and Harry, alone" Dempsey explained but he didn't actually mean alone, well at least he didn't wait – he swung Harry into his arms and engulfed her, his cheek resting against her head, his embrace squeezing her tightly in lieu of words that wouldn't come.

Spikings coughed and Dempsey released her just enough to kiss her lips "It's you and me forever babe" he promised. There was no admonishment just a kiss returned.

They broke apart, grinning ecstatically and both gave Spikings the nod. Dempsey opened the door and waved his permanent permit "Hey guys I'm here to stay" The guys mobbed him like a rugby scrum, Spikings and Harry emerged from the office glad to be observers.

***

"There is just one more request Boss" Dempsey broached Spikings as both men stood at the bar

"One more?" Spikings dared

"Well you might think it two" Dempsey winced; he tried to work out whether Spikings was threatening or happy, in the end he decided to plunge straight in.

"I've booked a few days in Paris for me and Harry so we need some time off"

"You're going to France?" Spikings laughed "They eat snails over there not hotdogs"

"I've been told it's romantic"

"Well sunshine I've never been to Paris myself but I'd love to see what the frogs make off you"

"Well I've booked and….."

"Already? You didn't have your papers"

"I knew you wouldn't fail me Boss"

Spikings was quite touched by Dempsey's implicit trust in him, he nodded across towards Harry "You mess with her and I'll shoot your balls off" he reminded Dempsey

"Paris?" Dempsey prompted refusing to be drawn on what was a given

"Romantic you say?" Spikings probed

"You get my meaning Boss" Dempsey looked nervously at Spikings

Spikings rolled his eyes "put it in the book when we get back – 3 days max"

"Mercy bow coop" Dempsey replied forcing Spikings to smile at the American French.


	9. Chapter 9

Whilst Dempsey tipped the porter and practised saying _mercy bow coop_ Harry explored; she ran her hand along the huge clawfoot bathtub and imagined luxuriating in a host of bubbles.

She looked out of the window and then threw herself backwards onto the bed and laughed, three days of being together and ….? It had been Angela who had planted the seeds of thought in her head as to why James had brought her here and Harry had dismissed them instantly but never-the-less they had taken root and as fast as she cut them down they re-grew; she had practised trying not to say 'yes' too quickly. O hell she hoped she wouldn't be disappointed; they had both been surprised at how many of his own personal affects James had at Camberwell Grove but he had said that he thought moving in 'needed some careful consideration what with work and everything'.

Dempsey brought their bags through, Harry leaned up on her elbow "This is wow" she caught his eye and smile

"You approve then"

"Even down to the fantastic bath" Harry waited for the lewd remark or the pounce on the bed as he started to make love but James took her hand and pulled her up

"Let's get started" he grinned

Harry wrapped her arms around his neck but James pecked her lips and broke away leading her back towards the door "We've got loads to do" he announced "I thought we'd start with a visit to Notre Dame"  
As they made their way downstairs a thought occurred to Dempsey for the first time and he cursed himself for not considering it before "You've been here and done the sights before haven't you?" he asked suddenly nervous

Harry squeezed his hand "Not with you" she smiled reassuringly but that wasn't enough to dissolve the uncertainty from James' eyes. "I've done a few pre-Christmas shopping trips here with Angela or Louise and a few girlfriends; I've never been whisked away for a romantic weekend, and I've never held hands with anyone inside Notre Dame Cathedral or walked arm in arm down the Champs-Elysees or kissed anyone in the middle of a bridge over the Seine."

Grateful James interlaced his fingers with Harry's and circled his thumb in a soft massage. "_Mercy_" he said to the doorman

"Monsieur, Madame" he said as he dipped his head

"Merci" she added in a superior French accent and made a mental note that the French language would soon be calling out for mercy if Dempsey kept murdering it like he did at the moment. "What else did you learn from Mimi?" she asked him instead

Dempsey looked up and down the street "ummmm gauche, droite" he proclaimed overpronouncing the 't' of droite; "but which is it?" he asked her

"à droite is right, à gauche is left" she reminded him

"Yeh yeh I know that but is Notre Dame left or right from here?"

"Let's just get a taxi" she suggested stepping back to the doorman and in her fluent French requested that he called a taxi on their behalf.

The peace and stillness of the huge white Cathedral had its own healing effects on the couple as they wandered slowly over the marbled floor noting the varied statues, side chapels and embellished stonework. The high vaulted ceilings created a space where serenity and tranquillity reigned; Harry and James meandered in harmony, each looking around and absorbing the aura choosing only to comment on a few features and even then the vastness of the building hushed James' voice.

Their hands never fell apart though and for Harry this was the first time she had sensed anything of heaven in here; previously coolness and death had set the scene.

James decided that the relentless pace of crime fighting was unforgiving and vowed that he and Harry would get away more often.

As they came back out into the spring sunshine the bells rang "Seems like Quasimodo is still working"

"Yet another tragic love story" Harry stretched as if to avail herself of as much of the thin sunshine as possible then she playfully punched Dempsey in the chest "Well you're not the hunchback and I'm not Esmeralda" she reached up to kiss him "I'm as sure as hell not going to end up dead in a French cemetery with you! Now how about a coffee?"

They sat outside and Dempsey had insisted that 'he'd learnt this one' and so as the waiter approached he began "_d cafes sil vous_…." Damn under the pressure he'd forgotten it "_silver plates_" he suddenly recalled

Harry winced and looked to the waiter who was practising his perfect patience as he did everyday; with great grace he ignored the error and because he knew what the English were liked asked "avec du lait Monsieur?"

Dempsey was stumped "_Je voudray noir cafe_" he successfully remembered and pronouncing each word in staccato

The waiter looked at Harry "et vous madame?"

"Noir s'il vous plaît" then she continued in French to thank him for his patience.

As they waited for the coffee to arrive Harry gave James a lesson but he really found no difference between _mercy_ and merci but he did master beaucoup slightly better and on the production of their coffee successfully managed to thank the waiter without offending anyone.

"Where to next partner?" asked Harry as she leaned back in the chair and stretched her feet out "mind you I could just sit here all day".

"Oooh no, next is the Arc de Triumphe" Dempsey had read his guide book!

"Well I suggest we go by taxi – you'll love a ride round there" Makepeace winked

"Round? I thought we went up to the top"

"Well now that's one view I've never got around to doing" Harry admitted which in itself pleased James.

As they were driven along Dempsey's attention was focused outside "now this is a proper road" he observed "you don't get long straight eight lane highways in London" "Well there'd be less corners for you to screech around"

"Ce sont les Champs Elysées" the taxi driver contributed

Harry replied in French and both her and the taxi driver laughed, Dempsey pretended not to care. "Big road, tiny roundabout" Dempsey observed as they crossed the Franklin D Roosevelt junction "looks like they do some pretty random driving over here" Harry smiled at his observations.  
As they progressed up the road the impressive arch began to dominate "Well now mate" Dempsey addressed the driver "I figure your Arch beats the Marble Arch in London, do we drive through the middle of it?"

"No Dempsey this one is a rather big roundabout"

As the taxi swung into the wide open free for all Dempsey open his eyes "Woah! No lanes!" He watched the traffic weaving in awe. Harry and the driver giggled as he drove them full circle around the monument and back onto the Champs Elysées.

"Hey that looks fun" Dempsey grinned and fished out a handful of French notes "Can I have a go?"

Harry looked panic stricken at the driver "Non, non, non" she instructed him but the driver smiled and looked at the money.  
Dempsey continued to wave the money in front of the driver "_Wee, wee, wee_" he returned daring Harry with his eyes

The driver got out of his seat

"Dempsey you're not insured" Harry protested as she watched him climb out and take the keys. The driver moved around and got in the passenger side

"OH NO!" Harry sighed burying her head in her hands and then looking up again pleaded "for gods sake remember they drive on the other side of the road"

"Same side as home princess" Dempsey grinned "It's like riding a bike, you never forget"

She tried conceding instead and gently reminding him that they were not following any bad guys. They headed back down the Champs Elysées until Dempsey could turn, that worked quite well but as he finally launched the car into the circumnavigating traffic of Place de l'Etoile. Grinning wildly Dempsey picked a car ahead to pretend to be chasing and the traffic started to swerve out of his way. "Mon dieu, mon dieu" the taxi driver shouted as Dempsey went around for a second time "arrêtez, arrêtez s'il vous plait"

Dempsey pulled across to the Arc de Triumphe and illegally parked the car on the edge of the pavement, he switched the engine off and turned to the back "We're here Honey" the grin on his face scrunched up, his tongue running round his cheek with the knowledge that Harry would be mad but not caring in the slightest.

Grateful to have stopped without causing damage Harry climbed out, Dempsey handed the keys back to the driver "_Mercy bow coop_, that was a ball!"

Harry looked at James, she wanted to be mad but the boyish, impish delight on his face caused her to burst out laughing.  
"Stairs or lift?" James asked

"Stairs! I'll beat you" Harry challenged and started off straight away. Dempsey was just about to follow when he noticed the lift ready to leave, he darted into it.

As Harry stepped out onto the viewing platform she felt someone grab her and swing her round against the wall, she was taken by surprise but barely had time to fight back before Dempsey proclaimed himself as champion. As she started to protest that the lift was cheating he simply laughed, tilted his head left, then right as she asserted that she had run up six times as many steps.

"Well that ain't my fault princess" Dempsey still grinned and then without warning pulled her into himself and kissed her. No sooner had he kissed her than he swung himself behind her and crossed his arms over her belly; he nuzzled her neck and encouraged her to admire the view with him. As they moved from north to west, south and east James kept his arm wrapped around Harry's shoulder and she claimed his waist.

"Well it's all pretty wow" Dempsey surmised "and you've not been up here before?" he checked

"No" she confirmed, everyone just talks about the view from the tower but this is really impressive"

"So what did you think of the tower?" Dempsey probed

"Amazing - you'll love it" she added "– when are we going there?"

"Tomorrow" Dempsey replied cagily before he distracted himself by taking some photos.


	10. Chapter 10

"If you don't get out of that bath soon I'll come over" Dempsey threatened as he lay on the bed after his shower watching Harry in the bathtub which stood centre place through the beams and heavy draped curtains that could divide the suite.

"It was a long walk back, my feet were killing me" she protested

"I clearly remember you saying that you'd never walked arm in arm down the Champs-Elysees" Dempsey teased

"I'm not sure that I meant all of it" she protested half heartedly

"It's kinda lonely out here" James threw out; Harry said nothing but in response Dempsey heard the water start to go down the plughole but the noise of water being sucked away had barely got started before it stopped.

"Hey!" he protested "I'm waiting"

"So am I" Harry called his bluff "You said you'd come over" she begged in her most seductive of voices

"The water?" Dempsey questioned pulling himself around on the bed to get up

"I let enough out to make room for you" Harry faked innocence; Dempsey smirked and threw his towelling robe off.

***

Dempsey knew where he was going; he'd made sure it was straight forward – that had been why he'd taken Mimi with him to the travel agent. They had pre booked not only the hotel but several venues to ensure there were no slip ups; Mimi had advised him well so far.

The instructions were simply, coming out from Le Maurice they crossed through the Jardin des Tuilenes and picked up the glass boat for their evening dinner cruise; the problem was the lack of time after the delay in the bathtub!

Harry had taken charge as she confirmed the booking and ordered the food, only now as the boat pulled away did she panic that she may have put Dempsey's nose out of joint but she needn't have worried.

"You sound so damn sexy when you speak French" he growled

There was a constant burning look between the two lovers as they ate, tasting each others' food and consuming copious amounts of champagne. The boat moved slowly and the lights on land painted an enticing and romantic picture that seduced the pair up onto deck for the return part of the cruise.

The evening air was chilled, the spring sunshine not yet powerful enough to warm the night as well and so once again Harry was appreciative of the warmth she gained from Dempsey wrapped around her. After a time the lit buildings began to merge in their eyes, the lights dancing on the water began to hypnotise and as the music from below escaped upwards the mood of romance somehow filled the night air. The light kisses James planted on Harry's neck invited her to turn around and wrap her arms around his neck. She returned his attention and they slipped into a long tender embrace.

***

Dempsey rolled over and caught Harry as she started to get out of bed, "there's no hurry" he said

"Yesterday you said you wanted to see lots of sights"

"Well there's temptation right in front of me"

She grinned and wriggled out of his grasp. Dempsey put on his soulful look and pouted as he watched her walk towards the door and accept the breakfast trolley provided by room service.

"I never heard" he muttered

"You were gently snoring"

"I don't snore"

"Snuffling"

Dempsey leapt out of bed and started lifting lids to see what food had arrived

"What sort of breakfast is this?" Makepeace asked as she picked up a piece of toast to nibble

"American" Dempsey answered with pride; he served himself some eggs and looked for the best place to sit. He made his way back to the bed and tucked in.

Harry poured coffee and looked at the other option of pancakes. She picked up a second slice of toast and wandered back to bed with a cup of tea in her hand "not continental" she observed adding "we are in France"

"I read the menus – continental is the stuff you have for breakfast at your place everyday"

"Well you can always sleep in your own flat"

"Then I'd have no breakfast! Come on Paris has loads of American stuff - must have been from when we won the war - that Franklin D Roosevelt roundabout, hey the Avenue de New York! I might look for a New York Times" he grinned "and" he added as he waved his half eaten sausage towards Harry "a pastrami sandwich with rye bread"

"Dempsey the French do fantastic breads and cheeses" Harry exasperated

"And wine" he grinned back standing again. Harry caught the waistband of his boxers and pinged them playfully but James pointed out that 'you couldn't waste good food'. As he tucked into the pancakes Harry showered and dressed.

***

They agreed on Montmartre and travelling by Metro and fortunately the spring sunshine broke through again.

"See there are people on bikes" Harry pointed out

"Yeh but they've not got moustaches and neither are they carrying stupid long baguettes" Dempsey retorted

The couple had wandered around the narrow streets and cobbled roads taking in small art galleries and museums. They passed the Sacré-coeur Basilica and the Moulin Rouge and now sat outside drinking coffee and listening to the street musicians. A blonde woman emerged from a small art dealer; Harry paid no notice until the gentleman followed her out, there was something familiar about the coupling Harry thought but no one sprung to mind and she returned to her pastry.

Dempsey was engrossed in the travel guide; Harry watched him for a few minutes before springing the book out of his hands.

"Hey" he protested snatching it back

"What are you reading about?" Harry asked as she lifted it out of his hand for a second time

Dempsey tried to grab it back, forcing it closed but failing to retrieve it; Harry lifted it high, out of reach but James tickled her instead. The guide book became a fast moving target as each of them passed it from hand to hand, behind their own backs and twisting it away from the other. James went back to the tickling and Harry resorted to tossing the book high ready to catch it with her other hand; James dived for it and the duo toppled perilously – the only way to keep themselves from the pavement being to cling to each other. The tickling finally stopped as did the jumping, ducking and diving, the guide book lay untouched on the table as James' and Harry's eyes burned into each other. She leaned back just a little into the secure support of his arms around her waist, her hold loosely over his shoulders around his neck, their gaze seared straight through into their hearts and James for one wondered if this would be a good time, Harry reminded herself to count to twenty before she said yes. Their lips drew ever closer until they slid over each other. Dempsey sat back down and pulled Harry onto his lap.

The gentleman's face soured "are you sure that's her" he spoke in French

"I'm telling you it is" likewise her conversation was in French

"Well I'm not so sure she's here to track us down"

"They might be, they put her undercover!"

"He's a yank, I heard his accent – he can't be British police"

"I don't think we can risk it"

They watched the canoodling couple finish their coffee, him putting the last pastry in her mouth and then make their way towards the Place du Tertre hand in hand.

"If we go after them and they don't know about us we expose our position"

"And if we ignore them and they do know, we risk everything


	11. Chapter 11

The girl threw down the piece of paper in disgust and said something Dempsey couldn't understand. He didn't really know why the encounter had caught his attention after all crowds were milling everywhere but his trained eye picked up the aggression of the situation; as they passed Dempsey bent down and picked up the piece of paper

"What's that?" asked Harry

"I've no idea – but it sure annoyed that girl" he indicated to the woman striding off

Harry looked at it – "Huh it's an advert promising the earth to girls if they do street work"

"No wonder she wasn't impressed" Dempsey muttered and habitually slipped the paper into a pocket.

***

In the darkness of the catacombs Harry suddenly felt two hands grab her pinning her arms against her side as she was pulled backwards

"Don't be stupid Dempsey I'm not going to get scared by a few ghost stories"

"I can take you anytime I want, you see I saw you working the street, I know" the voice whispered

Harry tried to wrestle free "Who are you? Get off me"

"Whore" the voice spat into her ear

"I'm not – you must be mistaken"

"I don't think I am" his words crawled over Harry's skin

"Harry?" James called out and Harry found herself pushed back forwards

"Dempsey I want to go" she felt him hesitate, the storyteller hadn't finished "NOW" she tugged him and the panic he sensed meant James followed

"What? you got scared in there?" James questioned

"I got accosted in there" Harry corrected

"I'm guessing you won't want to do the ghost tour then?" James teased

"Dempsey I'm serious someone pulled me back, they thought I was a prostitute"

"A case of mistaken identity – that's all" was his simplistic explanation

The sunlight helped a lot and Harry accepted his reasoning, but there was still something nagging at the back of her mind.

Dempsey searched Harry's face, "Hey I'll shoot the next guy who tries to take you away from me" he promised with a laugh

The inner concern that Harry had mutated into disbelief "You've not got your gun with you?" she questioned

"Look around you the Gendarme carry their Berettas so everyone can see 'em"

"Dempsey that wasn't my question"

"Of course I've got it with me"

"How?.... on second thoughts I don't think I want to know" Harry rolled her eyes

"It's you Brits, if we showed the lowlife more of our guns…"

"In New York you still have crime" Harry began to launch her argument

"That's why I have, had" he corrected "a job"

"Well wearing your gun outside doesn't seem to have deterred the lowlife there" she continued

"I'm telling you they work" Dempsey had no clever debate just the facts as he knew them

"Well you're a British cop now Dempsey and we have rules"

"I'm not marrying the bloody commissioner" Dempsey protested. It wasn't until he caught the wide eyed stare in Harry's eyes that he replayed his words and realised that he had almost blown it.

Harry heard him and her heart pounded, was this it? Was this going to be the proposal? With the background of car's tooting in frustration at the crowds jaywalking across the street, the noise of traffic and people and the tourists brushing past them, the hubbub of a city Harry waited half hoping for him to take the opportunity and half hoping for something just a bit more romantic.

"Let's go back" Dempsey suggested

***

It had been Harry's idea to take in the Louvre, just 10 minutes from the hotel they were standing looking at the Mona Lisa

"I feel like we're being watched" Harry surmised

"They say her eyes are looking at you wherever you stand" Dempsey knew she knew that

"No, it's more than that, all afternoon" Harry shivered as a chill ran down her spine

"It's since that guy in the Catacombs spooked you" Dempsey was not particularly understanding

"I'm not a pitiable female" Harry complained

"I never said you were!" Dempsey got annoyed but this frequent thing of hers "What is it with you" he demanded "you seem to think that I think of you as some pathetic weak woman but I don't"

"What do you think?" she asked

"Harry you mean the world to me…." James stopped, he realised that he was about to launch into the words he had been preparing. He looked at the picture and back to Harry who seemed to be waiting expectantly again.

"You and her" he nodded towards the portrait "you're both a mystery" he took a deep breath "Beautiful, enigmatic, almost god like; you keep your arms folded like her, reserved, holding your own, independent." He tilted his head a little "Your smile transfixes me and your eyes look at me like hers but to me" he grinned sheepishly "you look more beautiful" Whoa! Dempsey was well impressed by his words, it was only Harry's lack of response that made him realise he had merely thought, not said them.

Harry had got tired of waiting, as she walked away towards the exit she called back

"Come on I need something sweet to give me energy, this tourist stuff is exhausting"

***

As they returned to their suite Dempsey suggested Harry go straight up as he made a small detour and ordered some afternoon tea. He proudly accepted the room service trolley, leaving Harry flaked out on the couch.

"You want tea?" he checked

She sat upright and eyed the silver dome "Umm, please and I hope that there's something deliciously naughty, rich and creamy under there"

James lifted the lid with a flourish "I asked them to create this pastry with raspberry jam - no - raspberry preserve" he corrected knowing Harry and her posh words "custard and those tiny pink cream-filled choux pastries scattered with red petals and some fresh raspberries" he said all in one breath

Harry stood to look "what's that?" she asked

Dempsey was pouring the cups of tea, his attention not on the tray "Oh and few different macaroons" he added

Harry noted that the food looked temptingly gorgeous but in her hand she held a small oblong packet which informed the purchaser that the contents were raspberry flavour, and there were three.

A smile started to creep across Harry's face but soon it burst into a huge grin and exploded into laughter. Dempsey took the packet from her hand and starred at it "What the?... Why the?...."

"You tried your French" she curled up laughing at his bemused face

"So!" he defended

"So" Harry kept curled over trying to breathe but she was in stitches

"I never asked for these" James was getting agitated

Harry took a deep breath "framboise préservatif" she gasped out

"Yeh framboise is raspberry" Dempsey stated "Raspberry preserve"

Harry snatched the packet back "You can't mix French and English James" she scolded lightheartedly

"I've heard loads of people do just that"

"Not when preserve sounds like you mean préservatif and that means condom" She fell back down laughing

"Room service think I ordered raspberry condoms!" he was incredulous

"Don't worry it's their job to be discreet" Harry burst back out laughing again at the image of Dempsey in the foyer shouting, for he surely would have shouted – he had all weekend - that he wanted raspberry condoms.

Dempsey picked up his cup of tea, took a sip and ate a macaroon trying to look nonchalant and composed then he grinned and asked "You don't fancy trying one out do you?"

_special thanks to Lou for this idea_


	12. Chapter 12

Harry pulled her pashmina around her shoulders as they ascended in the lift to level two. She glanced to her left; James seemed to be on edge, he was standing stiffly, his arms glued to his sides. She slipped her arm through his and smiled at him; he exhaled slowly and smiled back.

The Maitre de asked for the name in French and immediately in English as well; he escorted them to their table and Dempsey's pre booked plan was put into action.

As Harry took the seat offered to her she glanced up at Dempsey, and then outside at the view. Her heart leapt, this must be it she thought; she cast her mind back to when Dempsey had first appeared in her life and a slow smile lit her face. Never would she have imagined that she would be sitting here, in one of the most romantic places in the world anticipating the rest of her life with the irritating, irreverent, irksome yank that had been forced upon her. With her thoughts floating over time, her gaze abstractly looking at the vista below she started to think of other words to describe Dempsey

"You look like you're some place good" James interrupted her thoughts with a gentle comment.

She turned back to him "Hmmm, I was trying to think of all the words beginning with 'i' to describe you" she admitted just as softly

"Like?" he tilted his head with a grin and a challenge

"Infuriating, impetuous…"

"Hey, hey!" he interrupted her "more like ingenious, inspirational…"

"Insubordinate" she cut back in

"Intuitive" he countered

"Incorrigible" she looked to his reply but he offered none "impulsive…" she continued

"Sometimes" he admitted and then with one of his cheekiest of grins added "irresistible"

"Why the hell do I love you?" she asked aware of her feelings surging from within

"You do though, don't you Harry" Dempsey asked suddenly wrought with nerves again

'Ohhh god, maybe this will be it' she thought and she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she opened them Dempsey was still looking at her, waiting for her answer.

"Pastis" Harry observed as she accepted the drink placed in front of her.

Dempsey watched her as she sipped her drink, he took in all the details of her face, framed by her hair she had spent so long attending to; it looked truly beautiful. Her neck was framed by her delicate collar bone and the necklace of diamonds. He thought of his offering in his pocket and hoped it would be sufficient.

"You look beautiful" he whispered

A glow flushed across her cheeks "How did you get a window seat?" Harry asked

"I really don't know" Dempsey found his voice "but it's kind of spectacular don't you think"

They both looked out onto the lights below; even ordinary roads took on a magical aurora from this height. They observed the skyline and street view.

"Look there's a river boat cruising"

"Last night we were looking up at this – you never told me you'd booked dinner at the Jules Verne"

"Last night was special too"

"James, the whole trip has been special"

His face lit, he had hit the jackpot. "Well I'm guessing this is the pinnacle princess"

As they finished their drinks the waiter approached with a bottle of champagne and asked in English if they would like to order.

Harry stuck to fish, she had lobster followed by Sole with prawns and Dempsey, as she could have predicted had sea scallops with caviar followed by the venison.

***

"So what do you want to do tomorrow?" James asked

"Oh I don't know – anything"

"Well we could go a bit further afield to Palace of Versailles" James suggested

"O I could luxuriate in that bath – you did book a fantastic hotel suite and we have hardly made use of it"

"And what am I supposed to do?"

"Anything you want" she growled with a wink and then sat back and looked at him "Tell me Dempsey did you know about the bath?"

Dempsey contemplated his options "Well…" he began slowly "if I had I would have chosen it!" he finished triumphantly

They debated whether there was time to take the champagne tour but then Harry suggested that they stopped talking about tomorrow – she explained that she wanted to enjoy every moment of tonight, she'd never been invited out for dinner here before and she wanted to savour every second of a momentous evening. She looked into his eyes meaningfully in an attempt to encourage him.

Dempsey considered his options, he had his original plan but he could change that, he wondered what was best. Good grief all day he had wondered 'now – or later?' – outside the Sacré-Cœur, walking down cobbled streets, as they stood before the Mona Lisa, now as they finished their main course – this was most certainly the hardest thing he'd ever done in his life. Offering to get himself shoot by Des Johnson was a piece of cake compared to this but one thing he knew – if that scenario ever arose again he'd lay down his life for Harry.

Once again they fell into silence and were grateful for the natural distraction of the glimmering lights. Harry was trying so hard to tell herself it didn't matter if he didn't ask, cursing herself for anticipating; the trouble was that a fantastic evening could end up being a huge disappointment purely because she had made it something it wasn't meant to be. She had asked James if they could go away for a weekend together and he had laid on the most spectacular and romantic trip, she would, she told herself, be happy for that.

The huge windows not only displayed the lights of the city below but overlying the view were the internal reflections of the restaurant and simultaneously both Harry and James focused on the image of the other. Their gaze locked somewhere 150 metres above the Seine and both of their hearts stopped. Harry knew instantaneously that she need not worry and James that this was the perfect time.

Harry was shaking invisibly; Dempsey fingered his pocket and called the waiter over and asked for another bottle of champagne. Harry excused herself and made her way to the washroom. She splashed her face with ice cold water and reapplied her make-up and practised counting to twenty then she took a deep breathe and turned around to return to the restaurant.

The champagne was delivered to the table and nervously James placed two diamonds in the glass flute, the ring with three diamonds set in platinum he kept in the small box in his right hand pocket.

The only thing James was certain about was his words would come out muddled. In his mind he practised telling Harry that she was beautiful, great fun, a fantastic friend, that he wanted to spend his life with her; that she made him complete - oh and that he loved her to bits. He watched the door, she was taking ages. He started to panic, had she walked out on him? Why would she do that?

From the door a waiter brought a sealed envelope, James opened it with trepidation fearing his world was about to fall apart. As he looked down at the contents he leapt out of his seat and ran out of the door and banged on the lift call.


	13. Chapter 13

Behind him the maitre de called demanding payment. The restaurant rang downstairs and as Dempsey left the lift a French Constable was waiting; he easily spotted the agitated gentleman and arrested him. Dempsey fought and escaped but his efforts attracted the attention of more police who overpowered him.

James waved the photo in front of them "they have taken her" he yelled in increasing waves of loudness

"Halt, stop" eventually one of the officers spoke in French and English, he took the photo from Dempsey and pointed to the image of the photographer captured in a mirror as he took the photo of Harry with a gun to her head.

"This man is a runner from the Jules Verne" the initial officer shouted in French

"Non, non" the officer replied as he stared at the Polaroid

"Please, I need to phone London" Dempsey addressed his saviour

In the offices of the Gendarme Dempsey paced back and forth relentlessly as Chas tracked down Spikings "Boss I need your help and we need someone who can speak French – can you get that girl from vice and get her to bring the files on that case Harry helped with…"

"Dempsey!" Spikings was suspicious "I thought you were in Paris for a holiday don't tell me you've single handed broken down the Entente cordiale"

"We bumped into our French friends and they've got Harry"

"What!"

"Boss I think the Frenchies are trying to help but they don't understand what I'm saying"

"We'll be there" Spikings promised and Dempsey heard him barking instructions to Chas

"This man is a pimp" Dempsey said pointing to the blurred image of Antony Bastien on the photo "but worse he and a woman called Jocelyn run a sex slave trade in England…" The bilingual officer took a full statement and then led Dempsey out onto the street, into his car and dropped him back at the hotel. As he left him the officer reassured Dempsey that he would ensure the best gendarme were out looking for Madame Makepeace.

In acute shock James had simply complied and now he stood in the hotel suite holding a drawing in his hand. The street artist had drawn him and Harry facing forward, both with huge grins but their eyes diverted to the side so that they looked to each other; somehow he had even captured a spark of joy in their gaze. Their bodies were diminutive but the drawer had super enlarged their clasped hands and just a few lines portrayed their interwoven fingers; it might have just been fun but it did totally represent the Harry and James that Dempsey was fearing for right now.  
There was no way he could stay in the hotel though, he rolled the picture and slipped it into his jacket pocket. He pulled out his suitcase and slipped on his holster and dropped the magnum into place; the taxi returned him to the Police Station. His kindly saviour sympathised and sat him in the corner and handed him a mug of coffee with a shot of brandy. "We are working very hard" he explained, his arm sweeping across the room indicating all the activity.

*****

Harry couldn't believe the noises she could hear and was very afraid to open her eyes. She tried to move her arms and legs but both appeared to be tied down. She shivered aware that the cold draft blowing across her body meant she was lying there with very little on. She opened her eyes and looked at the ceiling, the flaky paint making random patterns. The noises were ongoing but she needed to know and thus manoeuvred her head not daring to breathe until she saw that she was still wearing her underwear

She glanced to her right and saw nothing but a wall, peeling wallpaper and a damp patch, but that was all. The noises were coming from her left, Harry didn't want to look. She wriggled and tried to extricate her arms and legs but the ties at her ankles and wrists seemed secure.

The gasping, heavy breathing and moaning stopped and as Harry looked to her left she realised that the walls were paper thin, but at least the act she had just heard hadn't been performed in her presence.

The last thing she could remember was her mouth forced open and the drugs forced into her mouth. She had spat as much as possible back into the face of her attacker but some had found its way into her blood system and she wondered how many hours had passed and where she was.

The door to her room opened and Antony walked in; Harry recognised the strong aftershave, she closed her eyes as if still drugged unsure if this would help or hinder but she judged that it kept her options open. He spoke in French saying how he had come to claim his pleasure. Alarm sharpened every sense in Harry's body and she heard the belt pull out of his trousers and the fly zip undone. As it took several moments before she heard footsteps she assumed he had taken his trousers off. He pushed her head and she let it flop from side to side

He smiled; if she were still drugged he could untie her and play with her; he would try taking her in several positions before choosing something bizarre to satisfy himself.

He checked his Polaroid camera – he had just 5 shots left – he would use them wisely. Harry was telling herself all the time that this scum wouldn't despoil her whatever he did. Her ankles were released and Harry began to hope that playing drugged had been the right move.

******

Dempsey shoved his hands in his pockets. He hated not being able to do anything; there were people rushing round, phoning, shouting, gesticulating but he could understand none of it and that frustrated him enormously. He guessed they were working on Harry's case but he had no idea if they were making progress or going round in circles; they were certainly too busy to bother about him and Spikings, Chas and Kate wouldn't be there until the first flight landed in the morning.

His fingers found a piece of paper. James looked at the words but they were meaningless letters with gaps in between however it had something that looked distinctly like a phone number. He watched the staff blatantly ignore him, he reached across a desk and lifted a phone which he dialled; he'd been hoping to catch a clue but the voice answering it spoke so quickly he had no idea as to a single word. He held the receiver in despair not even bothering to replace it as he contemplated his inadequacies. The other end of the line hadn't hung up and after a few moments the voice prompted "excuse-moi"

Dempsey tried hard "Je voudrais Mr Bastien"

She reeled off another stream of French. Dempsey wished he could remember something Mimi had taught him, anything would help. When the speaker paused for breath Dempsey said "Address sil vous plait" and the reply came back Rue Coustou, onze.

He scribbled Rue Coustou down on a piece of paper and sat staring at it for several minutes. The background noise lessened and caused Dempsey to pay attention to his surroundings- the room was now much emptier. "Where's everybody?" he asked but the constable just looked back at him "ooo?" Dempsey asked then shouted "Where?"

"Où?" the constable echoed

"Wee"

The French constable tapped his watch and Dempsey noted it was now 4.00am. "They've gone home!" Dempsey was furious, he had no idea if he was right or wrong but at that moment he decided that he would take things into his own hands. "Rue Coustou - oooo?" he asked and the constable looked at him "près du Moulin Rouge."  
Dempsey stood "mercy" he replied and left.

*****

Harry felt Antony Bastien's hand touch her legs, the lightness of his touch not born of sensuality just fascination with the body in front of him. Her skin crawled with repulsion as she felt his fingers creep under the border of her briefs. With monumental effort she forced herself to breathe, her natural reaction to hold her breath as she tensed. She really needed him to release her hands but if he progressed much further she would have to do something.

His attention returned to her face and as she let her head flop again right then left she prayed he wouldn't attempt to kiss her.

He ran a line down her arm and moaned. Harry was almost sick, every ounce of her heaved with revulsion but she still knew her long term hopes lay with him releasing her arms.

"You can't play with me" he menaced "You wore those clothes, outside the Rialto Club, you put yourself about and so now I'm taking up your offer"

His traces covered her belly and returned to toy with removing her pants.

To Harry's great relief he tried to pull her around and she made her body as heavy as possible and stuck to the bed, to compensate Antony decided he would have to untie a wrist.

Antony stood back and took another instant camera picture for his scrapbook. Harry had no idea what he was doing but she steeled herself ready.

She felt his weight on the bed and sensed his body looming over her, she held her breath, she couldn't do anything else.

His breathing was heavy and laboured, she felt a pressure on her pelvic bone and her legs were forced apart by a swift heavy handed movement, his thumbs indenting her flesh with instant bruises on her inner thighs.

Harry was no longer waiting, her eyes opened to see the face of her attacker concentrating on the view between her legs. She screamed as she ignored the pain his pressure was inducing and heaved herself away from under him, kicking the gasping unfit monster backwards. As he staggered back onto his feet she panicked as she tried to untie to her other hand she felt him force his hands around her hips and push her down onto the bed.

The abuse he yelled was greater than her scream which was muffled by her face forced down into the mattress but it ran counter to his plans as it drew attention from Jocelyn who ran into the room and pulled him back. As she recognised the body of Harry Jocelyn launched into her own full scale attack of Bastien slapping his face left, right, left, right and calling him the most stupid bastard in France. If he raped the policewoman the gendarme would hunt him down forever! Most of her words reached Harry as she ran out of the room. Grateful for the intervention and that her escape was easier with the two of them embroiled together she plunged into the room adjacent to her. Harry grabbed the first clothing she could see and retreated down the corridor and out into the public street, deciding that there was some sort of safety in the middle of the road.

She threw the shirt of the client on, grateful for its large size and looked to see what other items remained in her clutch. She tossed the trousers to the floor and pulled the mini skirt over her lower half. She looked back, it seemed as if no one would follow but she couldn't take risks, she ran over a kilometre before she stopped to hide in a side alley and catch her breath and regain her composure.


	14. Chapter 14

Dempsey stood in front of the Moulin Rouge and looked around for street names, he asked a passing person for Rue Coustou but their explanation was too fast for him to follow. He wandered off in the direction they had pointed to and decided to walk until he found it; he hoped it was connected to this Moulin Rouge as they were the only two words he had understood. Likewise he had no idea of the number – he was going to have to explore every building. There was hardly anyone around, just a few prostitutes looking for last minute work; Dempsey wished he had something to show. His uneasy manner drew the attention of a hooker who interpreted him as a first time punter. Dempsey had a flash of inspiration – he was looking for a brothel, he showed the girl his wallet and she led him around the corner, the street sign said Rue Coustou, his heart started to pound.

Inside the girl looked at the pile of francs she had been given; her wrists had been lightly tied to the bed post but then her client had disappeared. Four doors down the corridor through the gap in a doorway Dempsey saw Harry's dress lying on the floor. Mixed with relief that he was on track and concern for where Harry was and why her dress was on the floor he stepped inside. His eyes took in the seedy room, the ruffled bed, the cheap covers; he saw a square of rubbish on the floor. He picked it up and turned it over, he stood staring at the image of Harry - the camera angle was low and had been close to her open legs, a guttural scream emerged from deep within as he punched the bed.

The click of a gun cocking in his ear brought Dempsey slowly upright "Well, well lover boy you thought you'd play the hero"

"You see how good she looks laid out there" Antony referenced the photo in James' hand that was still causing waves of rage and fear to rise within. "You see I wanted her and so I took her"

"If you touched her..." Dempsey threatened

"She has beautiful skin" he replied, "a soft belly and...."

"Where is she now?"

"I don't think she'll be wanting you now" Bastien said licking his evil lips "girls don't usually want another man once they've had me"

Still with his gun on Dempsey's head he started to search Dempsey and took his magnum off him "loaded" he observed.

Dempsey took the opportunity of Bastien's interest in his gun to launch himself against him.

The two men fought and in a brief reprise whilst Antony Bastien was sliding down the wall Dempsey had flung him against James retrieved his gun at the same moment Antony picked his up from the floor and pointed it at Dempsey.

"You bastard" Dempsey accused as he held his gun in stalemate at Antony

"Not much of a man are you" Bastien taunted "You couldn't even protect her from me" The rage that Dempsey felt actually blurred his vision but Antony continued "She knows I'm a real man"

Dempsey shook his head in an attempt to clear his vision, he swayed and Bastien came in and out of focus. He aimed at the crotch of his enemy and as he pulled the trigger he felt the searing heat of pain as a bullet left Bastien's 22 and lodged in his stomach.

Jocelyn had ran around collecting anything that would identify her or Antony and shooing all the prostitutes out, she yelled at Antony 'for god's sake to get a move on – they must leave'. At the sound of the gunshots she pelted upstairs and looked on with disbelief. "What the bloody hell!" she screeched "are you determined to get us caught?" She watched Antony's trouser leg turn red as he bled and a pool of blood gathered on the carpet, she looked at her chances of escape spiralling towards zero and then turned to look at Dempsey "so you're the lover" she concluded

"I'm the police" Dempsey replied "and you're under arrest". The only trouble was that he couldn't move either, his hand holding the wound was warm and sticky and even if he inched forward in body position the blood poured out.

"Well I'm out of here" she declared as she took Dempsey's gun "and I'm only looking after number one" she looked at Antony "You have a very sick mind" she informed him "you were never any good but now you are a liability" she aimed Dempsey's gun at Antony and shot him dead. She turned to Dempsey and wiped the gun clean "You killed him, self defence" she declared "By the way it's in my interest not to shoot you" she added tossing the gun back to him and picking her papers up. She looked back at Antony and out of spite and despising him she addressed Dempsey "He never touched her" she informed him "pathetic man" she murmured to herself

"Where is she?" Dempsey asked

"I have no idea" Jocelyn answered

"Make a phone call" Dempsey called out as he watched Jocelyn leave

"Sorry no can do, so long as I don't shoot you your death is fine by me"

"And I thought you had a heart" Dempsey yelled after.

***

Harry crouched panting in the shadows. She kept on encouraging herself 'come on Harry you can do it' she repeated as she forced herself to stand. She checked that the street was empty before dashing to the public payphone. She dialled 211 and speaking in French asked for help, saying she was Harriet Makepeace and had been abducted from the Eiffel Tower the previous evening and needed to file a charge of abduction, assault and attempted rape.

She held her composure whilst she dealt with the phone call but once she hung up she slid down in the phone booth full of self pity as she waited for the promised assistance. "Dempsey – where are you Dempsey I need you" she cried "oh god I need you so much" she cradled her head in her hands "please forgive me"

***

Dempsey would have pointed out that she had done nothing wrong, had no need of repentance but right now he was struggling too. He felt so proud of Harry, that she had managed to escape from Bastien "Good girl" he told her "I knew you could do it".

Knowing that she had been so strong motivated James' next actions. He needed to get somewhere he would be found and he needed to stop the bleeding. He shook his jacket off his shoulders and used his right hand to roll it up; as he did so he felt the box in the right hand pocket. He rescued the box and squeezed it into his empty holster and then squashed the jacket into some kind of ball which he pushed into the bullet wound. He stood and staggered towards the stairs, from the top he could see a door and outside the door would be a street, if he could get to the street he stood a chance.

***

The police officers guided Harry into the patrol car. They radioed in to say she was safe. Tell the American we're taking her to the hospital they instructed.

"I don't need to go to a hospital" Harry insisted "We need to get to that property before it they clean it up and escape"

In the gendarme offices the constable turned to ask Dempsey if he wanted to speak to Madame Makepeace and for the first time noted his absence. They quizzed each other and concluded that no one had seen him in the past hour.

"He's not here" came the information over the radio

"Do you think he's gone back to his hotel"

"No" the bilingual officer came back on the RT "I took him back there and he migrated back here within the hour, there's no way he would leave the building"

In the background Harry could hear all sorts of questions flying around but could make out nothing specific. "Tell them to get a team out to this brothel" she demanded in French "I'm sure Dempsey can look after himself"

***

James lurched down the first 5 stairs but each step brought about more instability and the remaining 10 he covered as he tumbled down head over heels. His right arm caught in a rail and as he tumbled he felt his arm yanked from the socket, his jacket stuffed against the wound fell away leaving him weak and bleeding at the bottom of the stairs.

He tried to stand but his legs wouldn't hold his body. "Harry where are you?" he gasped "O god Harry I need you" In his mind images of Harry circled round: her face broadening into a huge delightful smile, her scolding him, her furtive glance in the middle of the SI10 office, her eyes locked with his last night moments before her abduction and his whole being filled with regret.

***

The French officers debated amongst themselves and Harry's frustration was rising. "For Christ's sake start the car" she yelled "We're going to the Moulin Rouge – it was somewhere near there and tell your supervisor to meet us there"

Back at the Gendarme offices the Inspecteur principal had arrived and taken charge. His first action was to concur with Makepeace and direct them to start searching for the building. He was also more concerned than any of the others as to the whereabouts of Dempsey – he didn't want any lone rangers prowling his streets. His officers had paid scant attention to the American even when they had realised his understanding of Jocelyn and Anthony and Inspecteur Moreau suspected Dempsey was doing a little of his own research. After he had barked at everyone he demanded to see where the Lieutenant had been sitting himself. Moreau looked at the notepad full of doodles, and uncurled a roll of paper. He found himself looking at the street artist cartoon Dempsey had brought with him from the hotel and groaned; this guy, he could tell from those few lines, would do anything to get that girl back to safety and given that she was now safe and he was missing it did not bode well. He scanned the floor and picked up the slip of paper advertising the earth for prostitutes and demanded someone run a check on the phone number.

Five minuets later he had an address "11 Rue Costeau" he announced and somewhat naively the aspirant from earlier failed to keep his mouth shut and admitted that the American had asked him where it was.

"Half an hour ago" Moreau breathed with disgust "I asked if anyone had any information and you failed to mention this!"

***

Harry was running frantically: left, left, right in a random pattern and the officers knew they would be better being more systematic when over the RT they heard a call out for all cars to get to 11 Rue Costeau. It took barely two minutes before Harry arrived at the scene. As she approached the entrance Harry froze at the words of Inspecteur Monreau "One dead, one nearly dead"


	15. Chapter 15

The world went black as Harry swayed on the spot, she took in a huge breath and stepped forward "excuse me who is dead?" her quavering voice reflecting only a little of the disquiet she was now experiencing.

Monreau looked at her and guessed at her identity "Sergeant Makepeace?" he checked

She swayed again

"Bastien is dead" he told her back as she ran in a blind panic into the building.

"Dempsey" she yelled as she eyed the huge staircase and almost tripped over Dempsey on the floor a few metres from the bottom of the stairs.

Only the top right shoulder of his dress shirt remained white, the blood had soaked around from the wound and his sleeves had been soaked as he had tried to stem the flow of blood. The wound was now packed with a table cloth and strips torn from it held it in place, the officer tying the last of the makeshift bandage saw Harry drop to her knees next to him. "You watch him whilst I update and direct the ambulance" he instructed her.

James had alternated the last fifteen minutes of his life between being so glad that he had come to England and met Harry and regret that she would never know how much he loved her. The image of her as she caught his attention last night haunted him: why oh why had he not just taken that moment of perfect timing to say 'will you marry me?' Why wait for the bloody champagne and the diamonds in the glass thing; he should have told her that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, by her side, the two of them together. He so wanted her to know that before he died, that he loved her with all his heart, that she was the one, the only one, for him.

"Lieutenant James Dempsey" Harry whispered taking hold of his hand and Dempsey opened his eyes in response to the most intimate address of Harry; she could call him Lieutenant, or Dempsey or even James when she was cross and frustrated but when she strung all three together there was only ever the softest and deepest of regard in her voice, mind and soul.

She did that out of body thing of taking in how hurt he was and fearing the absolute worse whilst reassuring him with the squeeze of her hand that all would be fine and was under control. Her fingers traced his eyes that he had opened the moment he sensed her presence but she failed to stop her eyes from dripping tears down her cheeks.

Dempsey had his chance and despite feeling so weak he knew that he would never delay the moment again; he looked into her glistening eyes and as his also filled he mustered every ounce of breath that remained in him and asked "Will you marry me?"

"Yes" she stuttered without even a milliseconds pause "Yes, I want to do that so very much"

"Harry the ring's in my holster" Dempsey lay back from the slight incline he had managed to hoist himself to and felt the warmth that love radiates. Harry struggled to get the box out from the holster, afraid that movements would hurt him more. Dempsey suddenly felt a lot weaker and realised his eyes were closing; he forced them open "Harry can I see the ring on your finger?" he asked with a fear that this might just be his final request.

The small box was smudged with his blood but as she opened the lid the light caught the diamonds and they sparkled. Harry felt so sad, so very sad. It didn't matter any more whether it was a romantic scenario, whether it was Paris, London or the moon – no, what mattered was that James couldn't take it from the box and place it on her finger and even that didn't matter much if….. Harry couldn't even afford to close her eyes as she prepared for the next few moments, she couldn't risk missing him die.

The desperation and despair mingled with total love and devotion tumbled from Dempsey's eyes that he was still wilfully forcing open and Harry placed the ring in his hand. James managed a pincer grip with his thumb and forefinger and as he held the ring she slipped her finger through it.

She held her hand in front of his eyes and James saw the ring sitting in place, she was his and he was hers, they had finally made it. He smiled and as he gazed into her tear filled eyes his shut and as he fell down into the darkness he felt her kiss on his lips "Always and forever" she whispered.

The ambulance crew busted through the door and Harry stood back listening to the words "No pulse, blood pressure too low" "bag him" "Defib" "put him in the ambulance" "stand back" The words danced a ring of torment buzzing around Harry's head and she stood there in suspended disbelief until just as abruptly as they came they were gone and James with them – the vacuum was enormous and soaked up the cry of despair that rang out from her distraught heart. She collapsed into a heap on the floor and sobbed and sobbed.

Inspector Monreau shook his head sideways halting the officers bringing down the body bag of Bastien until he had lifted Harry to her feet and passed her to a second ambulance crew who insisted on stretchering her out too. Harry felt too weak to bother to resist, there seemed no point.

She let them check her blood pressure, pulse and take some blood; she answered their questions because that was the easy thing to do. She had no idea whether it was Rohypnol or another drug she had been given but she had ingested very little, she felt physically fine her queasiness and faintness came from seeing her partner shot and bleeding to death.

"Was he dead for sure?" she asked suddenly sitting up so she could read their faces. As she did so she regretted asking the question, they all shuffled "The crew were working on him whilst they drove him to the hospital" - their attempt to placate her failed.

Harry buried her head into her hands and the sobbing resumed.

"We can get a doctor to give you something to help you" the female ambulance crew member suggested.

"Why would I want that?" Harry demanded in a low quiet voice

"It helps get you through the next few hours, get some sleep ready for tomorrow" she suggested

The ambulance man added "that it might be for the best"

"Feeling pain is the only thing that helps me know that I'm alive, that this is real and not a nightmare"

"We've seen this lots of times" the ambulance woman reassured Harry

"And as an undercover cop I've seen a lot too" Harry snapped back.  
The blood pressure monitor machine beeped as the figures jumped upwards, the crew looked at each other knowingly. "Can I suggest you take off your ring"

Harry touched it, looking down at it and studying it for the first time.

"No, I'm not ever taking that off" she informed them with a tone of absolute determination

"It's just that sometimes the fingers swell….." the medic started to explain quite patiently

"My fiancée put that ring on my finger less than ten minutes ago…." Harry's argumentative voice was wobbling a lot but she had no need to add that it was his dying action - the ambulance woman sat next to Harry and wrapped an arm around her.


	16. Chapter 16

**The first of two chapters today**

As the ambulance pulled up and put a reluctant Makepeace into a wheelchair the crew who had brought Dempsey in on a blue light were checking their equipment and preparing for their next call out. They didn't recognise Harry but they did know the second crew and waved to them "we pulled that one back and he's in theatre now" they yelled out across the emptiness of the hospital frontage.

The ambulance woman squeezed Harry's shoulder "he got here alive" she whispered into her ear "don't give up hope yet"

Harry didn't know how to react, was it good news or more torture? She simply shrugged.

What happened in the next hour was a total mystery to Harry, she would have no recall but once a doctor had rechecked her and she had refused a rape test insisting that she knew she hadn't been harmed someone had fetched her a set of scrubs to replace the shirt and skirt she had misapprehended and sat her in the relatives room with a cup of sweet tea and a biscuit.

She asked if there was any news but apart from being told that James was still in theatre no one would commit to anything and the nothingness that she felt seemed to slow down time to an almost standstill.

The door opened but Harry didn't turn to look, she decided that if no one told her James was dead then she could cling to the belief that he might live. There was silence, just footsteps crossing the room which Harry took to mean bad news was approaching. Her right hand grasped and covered her left and fingered the ring hidden in her clutch; the intruder coughed and as he sat next to her he held her elbow as a sign of his support. Harry turned to her left and felt grateful to see her Boss, she forced a weak smile.

Spikings had no words of comfort to offer; he slipped his hands to take hold of Harry's left hand and held it tightly between his two; as he patted her hand he felt the engagement ring and wondered if that made things easier or harder. He was grateful to know that his best two officers had finally done some talking; now he wondered if he would need to face upstairs and the new deputy Commissioner with a few arguments about team working – he guessed it would all depend on the next few hours.

"Did they say anything to you?" Harry was eventually forced to ask

"No" he paused "just that things in theatre were nearly at an end and then someone would come and speak to you"

As if on cue the door opened and a surgeon stood in front of them.

"Madame Makepeace" he addressed Harry who stood nervously, her legs shaking, her knees literally knocking. Spikings stood also releasing his hold of Harry's hand encouraged by the broad smile of the surgeon.

"Mr Dempsey will live well and long" the surgeon informed them.

Harry sat back down in a reflex action she had imagined she would dance around the room in delight at such news but in reality the enormity of relief left her dumbstruck and her legs like jelly – unable to support her.

"He lost too much blood and his heart almost stopped but the ambulance crew were good and once we got him to theatre we could stop the bleeding and we gave him blood and sewed up the holes in his stomach" the surgeon informed them "now he sleeps but you can see him for yourself" Recovering a little Harry stepped forward immediately and followed the surgeon, Spikings remained a few paces behind.

It wasn't until she saw the rise and fall of his chest as James slept that the truth started to sink in. Harry stepped across the room and touched his face, running her finger around his eyes, nose and lips whilst the reality of the good news gradually sunk in. She gently bent down to kiss his lips; as she stood back up Harry turned to Spikings and smiling she wandered over to him, he gave her a bear hug "I'm so, so pleased" Spikings said.

"I was so scared" she whispered

"I know" he reassured her

The numbness and suspended state that Harry had been experiencing was slow too dissolve and it was Spikings who suggested that she go back to her hotel and prepare herself for when Dempsey woke.

Outside in the corridor Chas and Kate approached Spikings "We're setting up a watch in Rue Costeau" Chas informed them "the girls are bound to come back to collect their property and we'll be waiting for them, from that we should get information to track down Jocelyn."

"We heard that Lieutenant Dempsey will be ok" Kate addressed herself towards Makepeace

"Yes" Harry smiled suddenly realising how exhausted she felt "thank you" she added and then nervously added "you don't mind if I don't come do you? Only I want to be here for when he wakes."

"Sure, is there anything you need?" Kate asked kindly but noticing how blankly Harry stared back she took matters into her own hand "Some clothes of your own" she suggested "Where were you staying?"

"Le Maurice" Harry was jolted into life "We're only booked in until midday" she remembered

Kate turned to Spikings "perhaps I could sort things out for Harry" she suggested

"And I left my clutch bag at the restaurant" Harry was beginning to pull herself together

"Sure" Kate smiled encouragingly

"The Jules Verne" Harry added

"I know" Kate had to admit "it's where it all started"

Spikings coughed "I thought I was going to drop you back at that hotel Makepeace"

"No Sir, I'm not leaving, not now, not yet" Makepeace suddenly came to.

Spikings groaned "We need that surveillance Harry; we need to catch that woman, and you've been through a lot"

"Sir" Chas just saw it as obvious "If you come with me…."

Frustrated and short tempered with the stress Spikings huffed, puffed and swore before he conceded.

The three left Harry sitting on the chair next to the bed, she took James hand and held it. When Kate returned Harry was asleep, her head resting on the bed, her hand resting on James' arm. Kate tapped her and Harry jerked "Hey, I've brought you trousers and a blouse" she began "Le Maurice are holding your cases for you and the Jules Verne asked me to give you this" she handed over a plain white envelope "they said this was what was left on the table, and by the way they'll waver the bill in light of your experience"

Harry took everything with gratitude and Kate, feeling she didn't really know Makepeace well enough to say any more, made her excuses and left.

Feeling so much better for her doze and her own clothes to wear Harry sat watching Dempsey and daring to hope. The envelope intrigued her and her eyes opened wide when she saw two diamonds sitting in the corner with a note written in French. She studied the ring on her third finger and the cut of the two diamonds and looked back across to James and her heart melted into mush again.

James' eyes fluttered and she jumped forward, taking his hand and stroking his cheek. As he felt a dull pain and felt the crisp cotton on his skin Dempsey realised that he was still alive and the first surge of relief flooded through him. His eyes opened and he saw Harry's face, and the second surge rolled out – she was alive too. To wake up alive was one great thing but to have Harry there meant so much more than he could imagine. His greatest fears had not come to fruition and now that same wicked smile crept over his face and made Harry's heart race - it was the same James she was getting back.

"Dempsey can you hear me?" she whispered "the doctors are pleased, they say you should be fine" she reassured him as she stroked his hand and then exhaling slowly she conceded "Oh god I was so worried"

"Life is hard, but hey I'm not dead!" Dempsey muttered.

"You bastard!" Harry growled wondering what planet Dempsey came from

"Welcome back Dempsey" he said on her behalf "Well Harry I'm so glad you're pleased to see me"

She had been about to admonish him but without any warning was now in floods of tears. "I thought you had died" she managed to mumble as she wiped her hair across his hand

"Technically he did" the doctor said as he crossed the room and started to take a variety of readings and check the drip. At the end of his questions and tests he concluded that Dempsey was a strong guy and it would take a week or so for his wounds to heal but otherwise all he required was rest and recuperation.


	17. Chapter 17

The doctor left Dempsey sitting up against the inclined bedstead; James closed his eyes, took a few deep breaths and blew out slowly before he summoned enough energy to speak again "Well it seems I'm here for a bit longer" he surmised "I don't think they're quite ready for me in the afterlife – besides I think it may be a bit too hot down there and" he paused and gave his breathing a chance to stabilise gain "I've kinda got used to the climate round here…"

Harry stood in front of him, her hands splayed on her hips as she took in the view of a pink and, remarkably, actually quite chirpy Dempsey who, despite all her fears and imaginations of the past few hours, was right on course for winding her up and she was really, really happy about it.

James saw the ring on Harry's finger and all the bravado he had summoned suddenly evaporated; he took her hand into his and ran his thumb over the diamonds "Did I?" he asked somewhat tentatively, he guessed he must have.

"Last night, when I found you…."

"Did I tell you?" he ventured

"You didn't need to" she whispered reassuringly

"I don't remember" James took another deep breath and sighed with regret. He stroked her hand "I wanted to, I wanted to tell you how much you mean to me, that you are the most amazing woman I have ever known" he looked up at her "and I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

Their gaze held steady but their hearts were racing.

"Well Lieutenant James Dempsey I have to confess that you're pretty special too and that" she touched his lips "I was rather hoping on the being with you bit forever" her hands slipped back into his; their eyes still locked, neither wanting to be the one who broke the moment

"I'm glad I asked you – you know before…" James couldn't verbalise his fear

Harry felt disappointment, both for herself but more so for James – how could they share memories of such a momentous point in their lives unless they both had them "If you can't remember" Harry rubbed his hands with her fingers as they held each other "I have no objections to a repeat performance" she offered

James looked into her eyes and he slid the ring off her finger. He saw a nervousness but felt none himself, he knew exactly what he wanted to do "Harry Makepeace would you do me the honour of becoming my wife?" he asked kissing her bare hand

"Yes" she said, again without hesitation "it's been my dream" and as he pushed the ring back onto the same finger her eyes welled up again.

James couldn't let go - he'd finally done it, he'd asked her and she'd said yes! Today was one perfect day, he was alive and Harry was going to marry him, his physical exhaustion got the better of him "Harry can you lie with me?" he requested as he lay back down to recover

She hoisted herself up onto the right hand side of the bed and with difficulty and with pain James shifted to the side to give her just enough room to plant her tiny body next to his. Making sure she wasn't about to fall off Harry snuggled next to James and took his hand back in hers, their heads tilted into each other's and they lay in silence letting the enormity of events settle, content each with the presence of the other.

The calmness was not as tiring as the physical effort of talking or the emotion of agreeing on marriage and although they both lay with their eyes closed neither slept but both rested. Harry could feel James explore the ring on her finger, confirming it was there was like checking reality versus a dream.

The darkness of the previous 12 hours was replaced by a sunshine that now shone through Harry. James would recover well she had been told and there was a fantastic ring on her left hand. She and James were to be married; a life she thought would never be was about to begin…

"Are you awake James?" Harry asked as she finally felt some energy return

"Ah hmmmm" Dempsey acknowledged, he nuzzled his head against Harry "we really are gonna get married aren't we Harry?" he checked "only I find myself in this state of disbelief"

Harry wriggled again, enjoying the closeness of the two of them with their heads resting on the one pillow; still with her eyes shut "Well a DIY proposal in a French hospital is a bit cheapskate" she teased "When you're better you can take me..." Harry paused for a moment and squeezed his hand "To Paris, to the Jules Verne Restaurant"

"We can watch the skyline at night" James suggested recalling the good bits of the previous evening

"And you can put two diamonds in a champagne glass" she continued dreamily

"You know about that?" Dempsey was surprised

Harry wasn't interested in boring explanations so ignoring the question she smiled one of her dynamic huge grins "I'll count to a hundred before I say yes" she offered not really regretting her instantaneous responses made earlier

"We can go back to our hotel and make love using raspberry condoms" James growled opening his eyes and turning his head so he was looking straight on to her face.

Harry opened her eyes punched him ever so lightly mouthing "absolutely no way"

"Ouch that hurts" he complained pulling her over and reached upwards to run his fingers through her hair

"It's a miracle" Harry contemplated "When we first met you were the only man on the planet I knew I would never live with"

"I cracked you" Dempsey pointed out

"No, i cracked you - you're the yank who pretended to be tough" Harry explained "but you care Dempsey, you care passionately about people and justice"

"But I still break the rules all the time" Dempsey countered without conceding anything "where as you were always the good cub scout until you partnered me, now you call the boss 'chief' and shoot the bad guys"

Harry admitted nothing

"Ok, so you've become a good cop" Dempsey admitted "I mean you don't need to become a teacher or join the space programme since you've been learning off me…"

"You're so overopinionated Dempsey" Harry sat upright in protest

"And I'm always right" James' right brow raised as he spoke

"You're egotistical, self-righteous...." Harry started her list

"But hey you love me" James asserted

"Damn you Dempsey" she took hold of his hand and laced her fingers with his and then they both started to laugh.

***

Post Script

With swift conclusion to the stakeout Spikings and Chas had returned to give their regards and best wishes to Dempsey. An embarrassed Harry had leapt off the bed she and James had spent the last two hours sleeping on as her boss had led Chas back into the ward.

"I'd offer you a grape chief" Dempsey said "only no one's brought me any"

"I thought hot dogs were more your thing Dempsey" Spikings retorted

Chas filled them both in on the death of Antony and how the girls despite being told to keep away had all returned to claim and steal anything they could. Several had been willing to talk and the gendarme had already picked up Jocelyn; Kate was sorting out the British side of the prosecution.

Spikings stood ready to take his leave and addressed Harry "I'll see you at 8.30 tomorrow morning in the office"

"Sir?" she queried

"You are a police officer and the British taxpayer, along with the illustrious Maggie Thatcher, have certain expectations about what they pay you to do Sergeant" Spikings proclaimed as he raised a brow before he closed the door behind him.

Once in the corridor it was Chas' turn to cough "Was that a ring I saw on Harry's finger?" he asked cautiously

"A ring?" Spikings jumped a little "No Chas there was no ring" he said meaningfully and Chas nodded as if he knew what Spikings meant.

***

Post Post Script

It was early Friday evening, Harry stood in the stable yard at Winfield Hall and watched the horse and rider gallop towards her. James pulled the Admiral up and both caught their breath.

"This is the life" James announced

"I've been ducking and diving for the team all week, delving into the depths of the underworld whilst you've been gallivanting over the hills" Makepeace protested

"I've been planning and sorting things out as well"

"Oh yes" Harry wondered what chaos Dempsey had started

"Yeh" Dempsey defended proudly

"Like what may I ask?" Harry's anxiety grew, she knew instinctively it had been unwise to leave Dempsey alone at Winfield Hall for a week

"Well how about a wedding on the 26th June?" Dempsey announced

"Excuse me?" Harry asked her heart sinking, to her it seemed the worst choice ever "That's the weekend of the annual fete" she pointed out

"Because it will be exactly one year since I asked your father for your hand in marriage"

Astounded Harry let the information sink in and as the truth dawned on her she couldn't but help smile "You asked my father if you could marry me before you asked me on date" she concluded

"That was the easy part" James admitted as he dismounted from the horse "You were the hard part! Come here" He pulled her into his hold "I've missed you partner"

She accepted his kiss and when they broke apart she grinned "Spikings wants you there Monday morning sharp" she told him "Oh and I've saved you half the desk work"

"Well now since we're to be married that means all that I have will be yours" Dempsey started one of his arguments where the glint in his eye always betrayed his attempt at gravity "so Sergeant all my paperwork is yours to do"

"That may be true Lieutenant" Harry agreed rather quickly "but if that's the case all that I have will be yours – and my paperwork load is greater"

Dempsey scrunched his mouth as he did in defeat and concluded "You're all heart Harry"

_The end!_

_Thank you for reading and a special big thank you to Louisa who suggested a variety of scenarios for this story._

_I have a house to tidy and some uploading to do and videos to make but I will write some more. At the moment I think it maybe a follow on to the 'Having a Ball' story._

_Series 5 will continue and the wedding will happen, but not next._

_If you don't want to have to keep looking to see if there is anything new I suggest you click the bottom left menu and choose author alert and then the next time I post you will get immediate notification. Meantime especially thank you to those who post reviews – without those I wouldn't write anywhere near as much._

_Diane_


End file.
